Accidentals
Definition
Accidentals are symbols used in music notation to alter pitch. They include sharps (#), flats (♭), and naturals (♮). Accidentals change notes by raising or lowering them by half steps.
Analogy
Imagine accidentals as traffic signs on a road. Sharps would be like speed limit signs that tell you to go faster, flats would be like stop signs that tell you to slow down, and naturals would be like yield signs that cancel out any previous accidentals.
Related terms
Sharp: A sharp raises a note by one half step.
Flat: A flat lowers a note by one half step.
Double Sharp/Double Flat: These accidentals raise or lower notes by two half steps respectively.
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