What are accidentals?

What are accidentals?

• A. Notes in the major scale
• B. Natural notes only
• C. Symbols that indicate tempo changes
• D. Sharps or flats

Answer: (D)

Accidentals are symbols placed before notes to change the pitch from what the key signature would normally permit. A sharp raises a note by one semitone, a flat lowers it by one semitone. A natural cancels a previous accidental or the key signature, returning the note to its unaltered pitch. These signs typically apply for the rest of the measure unless canceled, so you must read them to know exactly how high or low each note should sound. This is why the correct idea is that accidentals involve sharps or flats. The other options describe things that aren’t what accidentals do: notes in a major scale are diatonic, natural notes are just unaltered pitches (not the alteration sign itself), and tempo markings are unrelated symbols.

Accidentals are symbols placed before notes to change the pitch from what the key signature would normally permit. A sharp raises a note by one semitone, a flat lowers it by one semitone. A natural cancels a previous accidental or the key signature, returning the note to its unaltered pitch. These signs typically apply for the rest of the measure unless canceled, so you must read them to know exactly how high or low each note should sound. This is why the correct idea is that accidentals involve sharps or flats. The other options describe things that aren’t what accidentals do: notes in a major scale are diatonic, natural notes are just unaltered pitches (not the alteration sign itself), and tempo markings are unrelated symbols.