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GUITAR: Beginner eBook
"all you need to start playing guitar"
by Mark John Sternal
Electronic Text and Audio Lesson
Lesson 9: Key Signature - Natural Sharp & Flat Notes
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Audio Track 09.mp3, file size 1.1MB
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Page 10
Key Signature
Another way of writing sharps or flats is to use a key signature. Simply put, a key signature is a group of sharps or flats at the very beginning of a staff line. The sharp or flat note in the key signature indicates that all notes of the same name will be altered throughout the piece of music.
Example: If the key signature has sharp symbol (#) on an F line it means all F notes will be sharp, (F#) for the remainder of the piece of music unless otherwise indicated by another accidental symbol.
The Natural Symbol
When a sharp or flat note needs to be changed back to its original non-accidental state a "natural" symbol is used.
Sharps and Flats and the Musical Alphabet
The musical alphabet consists of 12 notes.
A |
A#/Bb |
B |
C |
C#/Db |
D |
D#/Eb |
E |
F |
F#/Gb |
G |
G#/Ab |
A |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
11 |
12 |
1 |
*Notice that the 2nd, 5th, 7th, 10th, and 12th notes have 2 different names. For example, the 2nd note can be an A# or a Bb. It is the same note but it has two different names.
The notes A, B, C, D, E, F, & G are called basic or natural notes.
The notes A#/Bb, C#/Db, D#/Eb, F#/Gb, & G#/Ab are called accidentals.
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