sharps and flats
Notes between naturals
Sharps and flats are the black keys on a piano, or more broadly, notes raised or lowered by a half step from their natural pitch.
A sharp (#) raises a note; a flat (♭) lowers it.
Musicians speak of keys with many sharps or flats as more difficult to read.
Figuratively, the sharps and flats of life suggests its subtle variations and complications.
- piano keysInstrument's pressed surfaces
- black keysPiano's sharp/flat notes
- accidentalOccurring by chance
- enharmonicSonically identical, spelled differently
- quarter toneHalf a semitone
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