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ENHARMONIC EQUIVALENTS

In equal-tempered, Western tonal music, notes that are spelled differently and yet sound the same are known as enharmonic equivalents. For example, the black

C# Db note between C and D can be called or depending

C# C# on which key we’re in: in the key of, say, major, but Db Gb as the fifth tone of major. Played on the keyboard,

C# Db it generates the same pitch regardless, so and are said to be enharmonically equivalent.

SPELLING SCALES

How do we know whether to use sharps or flats when spelling out a scale? A properly spelt-out scale should feature each letter name only once, eg A, B, C, D, E, F, G for A minor. Scales that use black keys – accidentals – should be arranged using sharps and flats so that each letter name only occurs once. So F major, with its one

Bb, Bb, A#, flat, is spelt F, G, A, C, D, E, not F, G, A, C, D, E.