Flat (music) facts for kids
In music, the word flat means to make a note sound a little lower in pitch. Think of it like flattening a tire – it goes down!
When you see a flat sign (♭) in music notation, it tells you to play the note one semitone (or half step) lower. A semitone is the smallest distance between two notes in Western music. For example, if you have a C note and you add a flat sign to it, it becomes C flat, which sounds a bit lower.
Sometimes, two notes that look different on paper can sound exactly the same. This is called being enharmonically equivalent. For example, in a common tuning system called equal temperament, a C flat sounds just like a B natural. Also, a G flat sounds the same as an F sharp.
Double and Triple Flats
You might also see a double flat sign (
). This sign tells you to lower a note by two semitones, which is the same as a whole step. So, if you have a note and you add a double flat, it will sound a whole step lower than the original note.
Very rarely, you might even find a triple flat. This means you lower a note by three semitones. It's not very common in music, though!
The note A flat and A double flat are shown in musical notation.
Flat in Tuning
When musicians talk about tuning, "flat" can also mean that an instrument is playing a note slightly lower than it should be. If two instruments play the same note, and one sounds a bit lower than the other, the lower one is said to be "flat" compared to the higher one. Musicians use electronic tuners to make sure their instruments are perfectly in tune.
Other Flat Signs
In some types of music, like certain quarter tone music, you might see special flat signs. A half flat lowers a note by a quarter tone. It can look like a flat sign with a slash (
) or a reversed flat sign. A three-quarter flat lowers a note by three-quarters of a tone and is shown by combining a half flat and a regular flat.
Related pages
- Accidental
- Sharp
- Electronic tuner
