Melody - Accidentals (Sharps & Flats)

A sharp (♯) placed in front of a note raises its pitch by a half step. A raised note moves to the right on a keyboard.

A flat (♭) placed in front of a note lowers its pitch by a half step. A lowered note moves to the left on a keyboard.

When writing sharps and flats on the staff, write them before the note on the line or space of the notehead they describe.

Common errors in writing notes with accidentals

Avoid these common errors when writing notes with accidentals.

Floating accidentals. In the example below, none of the accidentals are on the appropriate line or space. They do not indicate whether or not the pitch should be altered.

Accidentals on the wrong side. Remember that the accidental goes on the left hand side of the notehead. The examples below are centered perfectly on the correct line or space, but they are on the wrong side of the notehead, and therefore have no meaning.

Accidentals that are the wrong size. The correct size of each accidental is demonstrated in the correct examples above. Avoid making them too big or too small.