MusicArrangers.com

Enharmony

The ability to write the same pitch in many ways is called enharmony. F# and Gb are enharmonic.

Accidentals

A letter is natural, sharp or flat.

The letter is natural unless otherwise indicated.

Ab (flat) is a semitone lower than A natural.

A# (sharp) is a semitone higher than A natural.

flat natural sharp
Flat Natural Sharp
Ab A A#

A word of caution. In text the accidental follows the letter, as in Ab and A#. On the stave the accidental precedes the note head.

image of accidentals and stave

Watch your step!

C# is Db. E# is not Fb.

Remember, C to D is a tone and E to F is a semitone.

While C# is Db, E# is F and Fb is E. Beginners and advanced students often trip-up on this fact.

              Gb G G#          
          Fb F F#   Ab A A#      
Cb C C#   Eb E E#         Bb B B#  
    Db D D#               Cb C C#
½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½

Draw the keyboard for the pattern.

  C#
Db

  D#
Eb

    F#
Gb

  G#
Ab

  A#
Bb

 

C
B#

D E
Fb 		F
E# 		G A B
Cb

Double flats and double sharps

Double flats and double sharps are accidentals for special occasions. A double flat is a semitone lower than flat. A double sharp is a semitone higher than sharp.

double flat flat natural sharp double sharp
double flat flat natural sharp double sharp

The complete set of accidentals and their enharmonic equivalents follows.

  Bx
C#
Db 		  D#
Eb
Fbb 		    Ex
F#
Gb 		  G#
Ab 		  A#
Bb
Cbb 		 
B#
C
Dbb
Cx
D
Ebb 		Dx
E
Fb 		E#
F
Gbb 		Fx
G
Abb 		Gx
A
Bbb 		Ax
B
Cb

Music Theory

"Become an arranger first, then an orchestrator, and then a composer." - Joe Paparone

Joe Paparone is an Australian music arranger of the highest international calibre. Allow him to share 35 years of real world experiences with you.