Lessons · Unit 9: Accidentals

Until the bar line

An accidental does not apply only to its own note: it applies to every note in that same position until the bar line. If an F♯ appears at the start of the bar, any other F on that same line or space, later in the bar, is also sharp even without a sign.

The third note is also F♯

The bar line wipes it out: in the next bar, F is natural again.

In the second bar, F is natural

To cancel an accidental inside the same bar, use the natural sign (♮). The same rules apply: until the bar line.

Here the natural leaves F natural
  • Same bar, same position, no sign: the accidental still holds.
  • New bar: everything is natural again.
  • Natural sign: cancels the accidental from that note on.

In the exercise one note is marked and you say how it sounds. Check for an accidental earlier in the bar.

Drill

The session goes on until every skill below is mastered: at least 10 answers, at most 40. Your progress carries over between sessions.

Master the previous lesson first: The flat