Piano Forum

Piano Board => Student's Corner => Topic started by: levick on February 22, 2012, 11:14:41 AM

Title: Hello everyone - I'm new here and have a question for you.
Post by: levick on February 22, 2012, 11:14:41 AM

Hello everyone!

First off I'd just like to introduce myself. My name is Matt and I am your beginner level piano student. I find it harder than your average person to learn the piano due to the fact I am dyslexic, but I am trying my best to overcome the issues that come with it.

So here is that question I mentioned.

I've been learning about "Accidentals" and "Courtesy Accidentals". I noticed I have one at the start of a measure within the "Treble Clef", to declare that only the natural note should be played from there on in.

Now this is where I get stumped.

On the bass clef a "Courtesy Accidental" is marked at the same position but on a different "A", and is therefore a different pitch. The thing that has confused me is, on the "Bass Clef" there are no previous "Accidentials", yet it still has been used at the start of the measure.

Am I the only one who cannot make sense of this? I've done buckets of research and understand the purpose of the "Courtesy Accidental", but can only see that it serves no purpose being on a clef that has no previous "Accidentials" within a measure.

It would be good to know WHY it's printed so I know for sure that I'm not missing anything that could trip me up if ignored.

Thanks in advance guys,

Matt

(P.S. Say hi!)

Title: Re: Hello everyone - I'm new here and have a question for you.
Post by: roseamelia on February 22, 2012, 07:24:49 PM

Hello welcome to the forum ;D My name is Rose, nice to meet you.

Title: Re: Hello everyone - I'm new here and have a question for you.
Post by: 1piano4joe on February 23, 2012, 09:19:31 AM

Hi Matt,

Welcome to the forum.

Accidentals only apply to the space or line where they first appear. They do not apply to the same pitch an octave higher or lower. Also, they do not apply to any other clefs. However, some composers have their own ideas about things and may not know how to properly notate a score.

Courtesy accidentals are intended to make things perfectly clear.

For example, if you sharp an f in the key of c major then it has to be notated as an accidental. An f one octave higher or lower or in the other clef  does not technically need a natural sign as the accidental does not apply to them.

Courtesy accidentals in this case would be adding natural signs to all other f's in other octaves or clefs.  Why? Just as a courtesy reminder to not sharpen them. Thus removing all ambiguities.

Hope this helps, Joe.