Lesson 4.5 - Double Sharps and Double Flats

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A sharp raises notes by a semitone - a double sharp raises notes by two semitones. Similarly a double flat lowers notes by two semitones.

The symbols used are shown below.

You may have already noticed that all notes have more than one name. For example,  F sharp = G flat

Similarly
F double sharp = G and

G double flat = F

On the piano keyboard, sometimes there is no black note between two white notes and in this case extra care must be taken. So for example, a B double sharp is the same as a C sharp or D flat.

These are called "enharmonic equivalents". In fact every note always has two enharmonic equivalents. All the following are in fact the same pitch.

All pitches have three names . In this case, F = E sharp = G double flat

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