This is because there is one sharp in the G major scale called F#. Sometimes, the sharp symbol is stated in the key signature. Once the measure ends, the sharp is no longer in effect. To cancel out sharp in a measure, a natural sign is used. When a sharp (♯) symbol appears before a note, it applies to that note for the rest of the measure.

In fact, the sharp symbol before a note in a musical piece simply means to play the next key to the right, whether it’s a black key or a white key. Here’s a diagram showing sharps and natural keys on your piano: C, D, E, F, G, A and B are the natural keys, while C♯, D♯, F♯, G♯ and A♯ are obviously, the sharps. In terms of sharp and natural keys, the 12 keys on piano starting from C are C, C♯, D, D♯, E, F, F♯, G, G♯, A, A♯, and B. While the black keys are called sharp or flat keys, the white ones are called natural keys. (But for the purpose of this lesson our main focus is sharps.) The same key is labeled C sharp and D flat, the same key is labeled A flat and G flat, and so on. But on piano, they make use of the same key. Enharmonics are notes that are the same pitch but are known by two different names, for instance C-sharp and D-flat. Flat symbol: ♭. The term for this is enharmonics. Since they are a half step lower than the keys to their right they can also be called flats. As we mentioned earlier, they are a half step higher than the keys to their left. For example, the key to the immediate right of C is C♯, the key to the immediate right of D is D♯ and the key to the immediate right of F is F♯. On piano, the black keys are usually referred to as sharp or flat keys. For instance, C♯ is a half step higher than C, and D♯ is a half step higher than D. Highly Recommended: Click here for one of the BEST piano/keyboard courses I’ve seen online.Ī sharp symbol, when placed in front a note, increases its pitch by a half step or semitone. The main difference between the actual sharp sign and the pound (number) or hash sign is that the number/hashtag sign has two horizontal strokes while the sharp musical sign has two slanted parallel lines which rise from left to right, in order to avoid being obscured by the horizontal musical staff lines.

However in type, it is often written like this: # (same symbol as pound, number sign or hash symbol on social media.)

Sharp keys