The Learning Area - Section 7
How To Read & Write Music
Understand Key Signatures
Natural notes appear by themselves in written music. But sharps and flats have their own symbols which are shown below:
Sharp
Flat
On a keyboard, a sharp note is the black key that's one note higher than its natural counterpart (the white key). A flat is a black key that's one note lower than its natural counterpart.
When sharps and flats are written into music as needed (next to the notes), they're called accidentals. But sometimes they are shown at the beginning of a stave, right after the clef. In this case, they indicate a key signature.
Key signatures show which notes are to be played or sung as sharps or flats throughout the song. So if there's a sharp sign on "F" and one on "C", every "F" and "C" note throughout the song should be played as a sharp. There will be no "F" or "C" natural unless specifically indicated by a natural symbol:
Natural
Key signatures (in this case, D Major) indicate the general tone of a song, as well as where its basic scale begins and ends. For example, a song in the key of D is based on the D Major scale, which begins and ends with "D" - with "F" and "C" played sharp throughout. However, the same song can be written and played in different keys.
Got This Far?...
...Well Done!
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Skip To Section:
Section 1 - Introduction
Section 2 - Names of Notes & Clefs
Section 3 - Find Where the Notes Fall on Staves
Section 4 - Find Where the Notes Fall on Keyboard
Section 5 - Understand Note Length
Section 6 - Understand Time Signatures
Section 7 - Understand Key Signatures