Sharp in Music
In music, a sharp (#) signifies a note that is played one semitone higher in pitch. It is the opposite of a flat (♭), which indicates a note lowered in pitch. The sharp symbol originated from an altered form of the letter 'b'.
Key Signature
In a key signature, sharps are placed at the beginning of a staff to indicate which notes should be played sharp throughout the piece. The order of sharps is F#, C#, G#, D#, A#, E#, B#. Each additional sharp raises all notes in the given key by one semitone.
Temporary Accidentals
Temporary sharps are placed directly before a note to modify its pitch for that specific note. They apply only to the note they are placed on and any subsequent similar notes within the same measure and octave.
Variants of Sharps
Beyond the standard sharp, there are various variants:
- Double sharp (##): Raises a note by two semitones.
- Half sharp: Raises a note by approximately a quarter tone.
- Sharp-and-a-half: Raises a note by three quarter tones.
- Triple sharp: Raises a note by three semitones (rare).
Other Notations
The sharp symbol resembles the hash (#) sign but with slanted lines to distinguish it from staff lines. In some cases, a triple sharp is indicated by ♯♯♯. Additionally, in specific text notation, double sharps may be written as ♯♯ or ##.