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← Learn·Accidentals & Enharmonic Equivalence

Sharps, Flats, and Enharmonics

Builds on Note Reading & Staff Basics

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A sharp (♯) raises a pitch by one semitone; a flat (♭) lowers it by one semitone. Together with the seven natural letters, they fill in every pitch a piano keyboard can produce.

Because there's no black key between B and C, or between E and F, raising B by a semitone lands you on the same key as C — not a new black key. That note has two valid names, B♯ and C, and they're called enharmonic equivalents: different names, identical pitch.

💡 Tip

Whether a pitch gets called by its sharp name or its flat name usually depends on the musical context (the key you're in), not any difference in sound — a piano can't distinguish D♯ from E♭.

⚠️ Common mistake

Assuming every pitch has exactly one correct name. C♯ and D♭ are the same key on a keyboard — Eardle's answer choices may present either spelling for the same sound, and both are correct.

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📝 Summary

Sharps raise and flats lower a pitch by a semitone. Enharmonic pairs (like C♯/D♭) name the identical pitch two different ways.

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