A sharp (♯) raises a note by one semitone, the very next key to the right, black or white.
A sharp in front of a note applies for the rest of that measure, and to that pitch only. A sharp in the key signature applies to every octave, for the whole piece, until told otherwise.
How to spot it
Play the Sharp (Notation Glossary)
Tap the highlighted keys — any order.
F
F♯
A sharp (♯) raises a note by one semitone, the very next key to the right, black or white.
A hash-like symbol immediately to the left of a note head, or in the group of symbols just after the clef.
Find it in thirty seconds
Play any white key, then play the key immediately to its right. That is the sharp. Do it from E and notice the next key is white. F. Sharps are not always black keys.
Open any piece of sheet music on this site and do it now. Reading is a recognition skill, and recognition is built by finding things, not by reading about them.
Related Topics...
How to Read Sheet Music: Learn how to read sheet music using interactive lessons from Chordzy. Or browse our various reading music topics.
Music Notation Glossary: Every symbol on a page of piano music, explained in one sentence each, clefs, note values, rests, accidentals, dynamics and repeat marks.
Accidental: Accidental in piano music. An accidental is any sharp, flat or natural written in front of a note, changing its pitch for the rest of that measure.
Flat: Flat in piano music. A flat (♭) lowers a note by one semitone, the very next key to the left, black or white.
Key Signature: Key Signature in piano music. The key signature is the group of sharps or flats just after the clef. It applies to every note of those letter names, in every o…
Natural Sign: Natural Sign in piano music. A natural (♮) cancels a sharp or a flat, returning the note to its unaltered pitch for the rest of the measure.
Readers Also Look For
Double Sharp: Double Sharp in piano music. A double sharp (𝄪, written like an x) raises a note by two semitones, two keys to the right.
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Sixteenth Note: Sixteenth Note in piano music. A sixteenth note has two flags (or two beams) and lasts a quarter of a beat in common time. Four of them fit into one quarter-no…
Slur: Slur in piano music. A slur is a curved line over a group of notes at different pitches, meaning play them smoothly and connected as one phrase.
