A sharp (♯) raises a note by a semitone; a flat (♭) lowers it by a semitone; a natural (♮) restores it to the original pitch. Double sharps (×) and double flats (♭♭) indicate that the note is raised or lowered by two semitones.

Is a sharp the same as B flat?

A# (“A sharp”) and Bb (“B flat”) are the same note. When 1 note has 2 different names, it’s called an enharmonic.

Do sharps and flats sound different?

More specifically, in musical notation, sharp means “higher in pitch by one semitone (half step)”. Sharp is the opposite of flat, which is a lowering of pitch. … If two simultaneous notes are slightly out-of-tune, the higher-pitched one (assuming the lower one is properly pitched) is “sharp” with respect to the other.