Piano lessons - black keys. Accidentals (pro sharp, flat, bekar) Enharmonic equal keys

In this article, we will get acquainted with the keyboard of the piano and other keyboard musical instruments. You will learn about the names of the piano keys, what an octave is, and how to play a sharp or a flat.

As you know, the number of keys on the piano is 88 (52 white and 36 black), and they are arranged in a certain order. First of all, the above applies to the black keys: they are arranged according to the principle of alternation - two, three, two, three, two, three, etc. Why exactly? - for the convenience of the game and for ease of navigation (orientation). This is the first principle. The second principle is that when moving across the keyboard from left to right, the pitch of the sound increases, that is, low sounds are in the left half of the keyboard, and high sounds are in the right half. When we sort through the keys in a row, we sort of climb the stairs from low sonorities to an ever higher register.

The white keys of the piano are named the same as the 7 main notes - do re mi fa sol la si . This "set" of keys is repeated throughout the keyboard several times, each repetition is called octave. In other words, octave is the distance from one note before” to the next (you can postpone the octave both up and down). All other keys ( re mi fa sol la si) between two before are included in this octave, are placed inside it.

Where is the note before?

You already understood that the note before on the keyboard is not the only one. Remember that the black keys are in groups of two and three? So, any note before adjoins a group of two black keys, and is located to the left of them (that is, as if in front of them).

Well, count how many notes before on the keyboard of your instrument? If you are at the piano, then there are already eight of them, if at the synthesizer, then there will be fewer. All of them belong to different octaves, we will now understand this. But first, look - now you know how to play all the other notes:

You can come up with some convenient guidelines for yourself. Well, for example, like these: note F to the left of the three black keys, or note re between two black keys, etc. And we'll move on to octaves. Now let's count them. A full octave must contain all seven basic sounds. There are seven such octaves on the piano. On the edges of the keyboard, we don’t have enough notes in the “set”: from below there is only la and si, and on top there is one note at all - before. These octaves incomplete, however, they will have their own names, so we will consider these pieces as separate octaves. In total, we got 7 full octaves and 2 “bitter” octaves.

Octave names

Now about how octaves are called. They are called very simply. In the center (on the piano, usually directly opposite the name) is first octave, above it will be second, third, fourth and fifth(one note before in it, remember, right?). Now we move down from the first octave: to the left of the first is small octave, farther big, counteroctave and subcontroctave(this is in which the white keys la and si).

Let's look again and remember:

So, our octaves repeat the same set of sounds, only at different heights. Naturally, all this is reflected in the musical notation. Here, for example, compare how notes of the first octave are written and how notes are written in the bass clef for a small octave:

Probably, the question has long been ripe: why do we need black keys at all, not just for navigation? Of course. The black keys are also played, and they are pressed no less than the white ones. So what's the deal? The thing is, besides major steps-notes (these are the ones that we just played on the white keys), there are also derivatives- they are located mainly on the black keys. The black keys of the piano are called exactly the same as the white keys, only one of two words is added to the name - sharp or flat(for example, C-sharp or G flat). Now let's figure out what is sharp and what is flat.

How to play sharps and flats?

Consider all the keys that are included in any octave: if you count black and white together, then it turns out that there are 12 of them in total (7 white + 5 black). It turns out that the octave is divided into 12 parts (12 equal steps), and each key in this case is one part (one step). Here, the distance from one key to the nearest neighbor is semitone(it doesn't matter where to put the semitone: up or down, between two white keys or between a black and white key). So, an octave consists of 12 semitones.

Sharp- this is an increase in the main step by a semitone, that is, if we need to play, say, a note C-sharp, then we do not press the key "before", and the note that is a semitone higher. C sharp– adjacent black key (to the right of the key "before").

Flat has the opposite effect. Flat- This is a decrease in the main step by a semitone. If we need to play, for example, b flat then we play not white" si", and press the adjacent black key, which is below this "si"(to the left of the key "si").

Now it is clear that each black key is either a sharp or a flat of some of the neighboring "white" notes. But it is not always the sharp or flat that occupies the black key. For example, between such white keys as mi and fa, or si and do, no blacks. And then how to play C-flat or mi-sharp?

Very simple - all according to the same rule: the sharp is a semitone higher, the flat is a semitone lower. I remind you that semitone is the shortest distance between any two adjacent keys. So in order to play C-flat, we go down half a tone - we get that C-flat coincides in pitch with the note si. Likewise, you need to play mi-sharp- go up a semitone: mi-sharp matches the key F. Sounds that are the same in pitch but are written differently are called enharmonic (enharmonic equal).

OK it's all over Now! I think everything is clear. It remains for me to add about how sharp and flat are denoted in notes. To do this, use special icons that are written before the note that needs to be changed.

A small conclusion

In this article, we figured out how the piano keys are called, what notes correspond to each key, and how easy it is to navigate the keyboard. We also found out what an octave is and learned the names of all octaves on the piano. You also now know what sharp and flat are, and how to find sharps and flats on the keyboard.

The piano keyboard is universal. Many other musical instruments are equipped with keyboards of this type. This is not only a grand piano and piano, but an accordion, harpsichord, organ, celesta, keyboard harp, synthesizer, etc. According to the model of such a keyboard, there are records on percussion instruments - xylophone, marimba, vibraphone.

Namely, the standing of the octave:

We see the main 7 steps: do, re, mi, fa, salt, la, si. Please note: there is a black key between the white keys do and re. This key is located to the right of the do key and at the same time to the left of the re key. We deliberately emphasize this point: the same key is either on the right or on the left: it all depends on which neighboring key to look at.

Now we will consider this neighborhood of keys from a musical point of view. If there is a piano, it will be good if you test us by pressing the keys and listening to the pitch.

So: we consider notes within one octave. The note do sounds lower than the note re. Accordingly, the note D sounds higher than the note C. And between these notes there is another note, represented by a black key on the keyboard. And this key is located between the white keys do and re. The sound produced by this black key is above the C note and simultaneously below the D note.

Sharp. Consider the sound of a black key relative to the note C. The sound of the black key is higher (by a semitone). They say that the degree (note to) is raised by a semitone. Such an increase is called sharp. Remember: an increase (of the main step) by half a tone is called the word sharp. This sound is the derivative of the step. It does not have its own name, therefore it uses the name of the main stage. In this case, it is C-sharp. The sharp is denoted by the hash symbol, look at the figure:

The figure shows the note C-sharp. Pay attention to the grid in front of the note. This is the sharp symbol. Without a lattice - this is a note to, and with a lattice - C-sharp.

Flat. Now consider the same black key, but with respect to the D note. The sound of the "black key" is lower than the D note by a semitone. Lowering the main step by half a tone is called the word flat. This sound is also a derivative of a step. Like the sharp, it does not have its own name; it takes the name of the main stage as a basis. Those. our black key produces a sound corresponding to the D-flat note. Below in the picture we give the designation of a flat:

Have you already understood that the same note (black key) has different names (sharp / flat), depending on which step we are looking at? At the beginning of the article, we focused on the fact that the same key (black) is located to the right of the key with the note "do" and at the same time to the left of the key with the note "re". Now it is clear that our black key corresponds to either the C-sharp note or the D-flat note - it all depends on which note we take as a basis.

double sharp and double flat. Increasing the main step by 2 semitones (tone) is called a double sharp. And lowering the main step by 2 semitones (tone) is called a double flat. It is not used often, just know that it is also there.

Simple example: C-double-sharp is the note D. A D-double-flat is a note to.

Natural. Becar cancels the action sharp or flat. It is indicated by a lattice, but somewhat different from the sharp symbol, look at the figure (in each measure, there is a bekar sign before the 3rd note):

We read the notes from left to right, the first measure: C, D-flat, D (becar sign is in front of the note - we cancel the flat that the second note set), re again. The second measure: re, C-sharp, C (the Bekar sign canceled the action of the sharp, established by the second note), note C.

Alteration. The described rise and fall of sounds is called alteration.

Scope of accidental signs. The effect of the accidental sign in front of the note extends to the entire measure. Such signs are called random. A random sign applies to all note data of the same octave within the current measure, either until the next random sign or until a key change.

We read the notes from left to right, the first measure: C, D-flat, D-flat, D-flat (the first D note is preceded by a flat sign, which is valid until the end of the measure and lowers the following D notes by a semitone). Second measure: D, C-sharp, c-sharp, c-sharp (the action of the flat sign from bar 1 ended in bar 1, so bar 2 begins with the note D. P Before the next note C there is a sharp sign, which is valid until the end of the second measure and raises the following notes to by a semitone).

It is important that the effect of the sign extends directly to the note before which it is placed. In our example, in 1 measurethe flat sign only affects the note D of the 2nd octave. If in the first measure there would also be a D note of 1 or 3 octaves, then the flat sign would not affect them.

Accidentals (sharp and flat) can stand not only before the note, but also at the key. Such accidentals are called key.

Key accidentals are indicated at the beginning of each staff to the right of the clef and apply to all notes written on the corresponding staff lines of that stave until the clef changes. Within a measure, the action of key signs can be canceled by random signs. DThe action of key signs extends to the entire work.

An example of the use of sharps in the key:

Key signs indicate that all notes corresponding to the location of the accidentals present in the key should be played up or down by a semitone. In our country, for example (see figure), sharps stand between the third and fourth lines of the stave (the place of the sound " before") and on the fifth line (sound " F"). So, all notes before and F occurring in the piece must be raised by a semitone. Moreover, it does not matter what octave these sounds are in: all the notes DO and FA must be played as C-sharp and F-sharp (if these notes are not preceded by the sign natural).

Results of 4 lessons. Now we know what a sharp is (raising the main step by half a tone) and what is a flat (lowering the main step by half a tone). Bekar cancels the action of flat and sharp. Also pay attention to the area of ​​action of the accidentals.

In this lesson, you will learn what sharp, flat and backar are and how you can use them to name the black keys on the piano.

The word "alteration" (from Latin alterare - to change) means "change". That is, we will talk about signs that help change the original note. Now we will understand how this happens. And let's start with a sign whose name is SHARP.

Sharp is a prickly sign, covered in needles, like a hedgehog. On his needles, he pry the note up and make it go up a semitone.

Sharp Rule: A sharp raises a note by a semitone.

Together with the note hedgehog-sharp
Climbed half a ton up.

Practice finding sharps on the piano keyboard. Using the sharp rule, play the notes C#, D#, F#, G#, and A#. If you did everything right, then all these notes will be on the black keys, each of which is located a semitone above (to the right) of its white namesake. However, these are not all possible sharps. Repeat the rule again and try to find MI# and SI# on the keyboard. The task was completed correctly if MI# coincided with the note FA, and SI# - with the note DO. As you can see, notes with sharps can be played not only on black keys, but also on white ones!

Let's get acquainted with another accidental sign - this is FLAT. It has a thick belly that pulls it along with the note half a step down.

Flat Rule: A flat lowers a note by a semitone.

The flat is pot-bellied, and he pulls
All notes down a semitone.

Play the following notes with flats: RE, MI, SOL, LA and SI - and you will find yourself on the black keys. But in the case of FA♭ and DO♭, the resulting keys will be white: MI and SI, respectively.

By the way, did you notice that when you found sharps and flats, you pressed the same keys? Indeed, the same key on the piano can be named both with the help of a sharp and with the help of a flat. Such a phenomenon in music, when two sounds with different names turn out to be the same in height, is called anharmonicity. Therefore, DO# and RE♭, SOL# and LA♭, FA and MI# are enharmonic equal.

As a reinforcing exercise, name each of the piano keys in two ways.

Finally, let's talk about the third accidental sign, which is called BECAR. Unlike the first two, it does not raise or lower notes. He patiently corrects everything that the pranksters sharp and flat have done before: at the right moment, the backer cancels the actions of the sharp or flat, returning the notes to their usual position. For example, if we encounter DO ♮, this means that you just need to play the note DO. As you may have guessed, backed notes are always played on white keys.

Bekar cancels all signs,
Returns notes.

In this article, we will continue the conversation about musical notation - we will study accidentals. What is alteration? Alteration- this is a change in the main steps of the scale (the main steps are do re mi fa sol la si ). What exactly is changing? Their height and slightly the name changes.

Sharp- raises the tone by half a step flat- lowering it by half a tone. After the note is changed, then one word is simply added to its main name - respectively, sharp or flat. For example, C-sharp, F-sharp, A-flat, E-flat etc. In notes, sharps and flats are indicated by special signs, which are also called sharps and flat. Another sign is also used - natural, it cancels any alteration, and then, instead of sharp or flat, we play the main sound.

See what it looks like in sheet music:

What is a semitone?

Now let's look at everything in more detail. What kind of semitones are these? Semitone is the shortest distance between two adjacent sounds. Let's take a look at the piano keyboard as an example. Here is an octave with signed keys:

What do we see? We have 7 white keys and the main steps are located on them. There seems to be a rather short distance between them, but, nevertheless, there are black ones between the white keys. We have 5 black keys. It turns out that in total there are 12 sounds in an octave, 12 keys. So, each of these keys in relation to the nearest neighbor is located at a distance of half a tone. That is, if we play all 12 keys in a row, then we will play all 12 semitones.

Double sharp and double flat

In addition to simple sharps and flats, in musical practice, double sharps and double flat. What doubles are are double step changes. In other words, double sharp raises the note by two semitones at once (that is, by a whole tone), and double flat- lowers a note by a whole tone ( one tone is two semitones).

Natural- this is a sign of the cancellation of alteration, it acts in relation to doubles in exactly the same way as to ordinary sharps and flats. For example, if we played f-double-sharp, and then some time before the note F bekar appears, then we play a “clean” note "F".

Random and Key Signs

So, let's sum up.

We talked about accidents: we learned what accidents are and what signs of accidents are. Sharp- this is a sign of increasing by half a tone, flat- this is a sign of lowering a note by a semitone, and natural- a sign of cancellation of alteration. In addition, there are so-called duplicates: double sharp and double flat- they raise or lower the sound at once by a whole tone (a whole tone are two semitones).

That's all! I wish you continued success in your musical education. Come visit us often, we will analyze other interesting topics. If you liked the material, click "I like" and share the information with your friends. Now I suggest you take a break and listen to good music performed by the brilliant contemporary pianist Yevgeny Kissin.

Ludwig van Beethoven - Rondo "Rage over the lost penny"

Greetings dear readers of the blog site. In this part, we will look at what sharp, bekar, flat are, but first we will need to recall the materials of this. This is the octave structure:

In the figure above, we see the main seven steps - these are do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, si. Now notice that a black key is adjacent between the white keys do and re. This key is located to the right of the key before and on the left side of the key re. We deliberately emphasize this point, since the same key (note) is either on the right side or on the left side: it all depends on which neighboring key to look at.

Now we will consider this neighborhood of keys (i.e. notes) from the point of view of music in the Fl Studio program or using the piano (piano, midi keyboards), etc. Most importantly, we need to see these keys. Run the program and in add (i.e. piano) or if you have a piano, then you can test us by pressing the keys and listening to the pitch.

In Fl studio, to see all the notes you need to go to .

So: now we are considering notes that are within the 1st octave. Note ( before) by the sound below the note ( re). And accordingly, the note ( re) by sounding higher than the note ( before). Well, between these notes (do) and (re) there is another note, which is represented by a black key on the keyboard. The sound of this black key is above the note (to) and below the note (re), i.e. middle of these sounds.

What is Diez? A sharp is an increase in the main stage by half a step. For example, consider the sound of a black key that is next to a note (C). The sound that the black key makes will be higher by half a tone - this phenomenon is called the word sharp. Remember that raising the sound by half a tone is called the word sharp. This sound is considered to be a derived stage, and therefore it does not have its own name. In this case, the name of the main stage is used. In our example, it will be -C-sharp.

Sharp denoted by a hash symbol, look at the figure below:

In this figure, the note is C-sharp. Without a lattice will be (to), and with a lattice (to-sharp).

What is Bemol? A flat is a lowering of the main step by half a tone. For example, consider the same black key relative to the note (D). The sound of the black key will be lower by a semitone of the sound (D). This phenomenon is called, the word flat. It is also a derivative stage and does not have its own name and uses the name of the main stage. In our case, it will be D-flat.

The figure below shows the designation of the flat:

I think that you have already understood that the same note i.e. the black key may have different names depending on which step to watch. In our example, as I wrote above, the black key can be called either “C-sharp” or “D-flat” - it depends on the note that we take as a basis.

What is double flat and double sharp? With an increase in the main step by two semitones (i.e. tone) is called a double-sharp. And when the main step is lowered by two semitones (i.e. tone) is called a double-flat. Rarely used, but you need to know that this is also there.

Here's a simple example for you: C-double-sharp is the note D. A D-double-flat is a note to.

What is Bekar? Bekar's symbol cancels the action sharp or flat. In the figure below, in each measure, this symbol is placed before the third note. It is indicated by a hash similar to, but different from, a sharp.

Now let's read these notes. It is necessary to read from left to right, the first measure: do, re-flat, re (here the note is preceded by the becar sign - which we cancel the flat, which was set by the second note), and again re. The second measure: re, C-sharp, C (here also the Bekar sign canceled the action of the sharp, established by the second note), note C.

What is Alteration? Alteration is the rise and fall of sounds.

Let's consider a zone of action of signs of alteration.

The zone of action of the accidental sign, which is in front of the note, affects the entire measure. These signs are called random. This random character will apply to all note data of the same octave within the current measure, either until the next random character or until the key changes.

Let's read the notes. Also from left to right, first measure: C, D-flat, D-flat, D-flat (here, before the 1st note of D, there is a flat sign. It will remain in effect until the end of the measure, and lower the following notes of D by a semitone). The second bar: D, C-sharp, C-sharp, C-sharp (the zone of the flat sign from the first measure ended in the first measure, and therefore the second measure begins with the note D. Further, before the next note to there is a sharp sign, which is valid until the end of the second measure and will raise subsequent notes up to a semitone).

Important note.

The action of the sign will apply directly to the note before which it is placed. In our case, in the 1st measure, the flat sign acts only on the D note of the 2nd octave. But if in the first measure there would also be a D note of the 1st or 3rd octave, then the flat sign would not affect them.

These accidentals (flat and sharp) can appear not only before the note, but also at the key. These accidentals are called key.

Key accidentals are located at the beginning of each staff to the right of the key and act on all notes that are written on the corresponding rulers in this staff, until the change of key signs. Also, within a measure, the action of key signs can be canceled by random signs. The action of the key signs will apply to the entire work.

Here is an example of using sharps in the key:

Key signs show us that all notes that are located in the corresponding lines of the staff of the accidentals present in the key will have to be played with an increase or decrease by a semitone.