ACCIDENTALS

A sign placed before a not that alters it by a semitone or a whole-tone.
An accidental will carry through the entire measure only on the same octave and same voice.
Bar lines cancel out all accidentals

The SHARP raises the note by a semitone
The FLAT lowers the note by one semitone
|The DOUBLE SHARP raises the note by two semitones
The DOUBLE FLAT lowers the note by two semitones
The NATURAL sign cancels any previous accidental

Example:
a D one semitone above C it will be D (minor second)
a e 3 semitones below F it will be E (augmented second)
a F 4 semitones above D will be F (Major third)
a F 5 semitones above D will be F (Augmented third)

Notes that share the same key on the keyboard but are spelled differently are called enharmonically equivalent.

	Email: sbirch@kent.edu