In a piece of music other sharps or flats, not included in the key signature, may be added to individual notes. Also, a sharp or a flat in the key signature may be cancelled by the use of natural sign, . Sharp, flat and natural sign which are used for the change to individual note, are called accidentals, as we have learned in the previous lesson.
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Here, you will learn the difference of using sharps and flats in the key signature as a fixed signs and using to individual note as an accidental sign.
Bear in mind these points
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The sign or signs in the key signature are affecting the related notes, whether on line or in space, during the piece of music, example;
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An accidental sign is affecting the individual note within one bar, example;
Look at this example above, this scale is D major and we know that D major scale has two sharps which are F and C sharps, placed in the key signature. Now, the natural sign, in third bar, making the F note into original pitch, but the F note appears in the following bar is F sharp, because the accidental sign is not going over the bar-line, unless they are tied next to each other, example;
Now the natural sign is affecting the tied note, even if it is in the next bar. But if the note appears somewhere in the next bar, after the tied note, it has to be marked of the natural sign again otherwise the key signature is valid, example;
The natural sign is affecting the tied note, even if the note is in the next bar, but the F note appears again after the tied one, marked with an arrow above it. Another natural sign has to be placed here for this note as well, otherwise the F is F sharp.
