What note is this?

[iv76erson03]

Hey All! I have a complete beginner question, but this looks like the right place.

What note is this from Moonlight Sonata?:


There isn't a sharp on this key, so what do I hit? Thanks!

[puphead]

it's B# so hit C

[iv76erson03]

Thank you! I was confused because I didn't know why they don't just draw a C on there.

[general disarray]

That's a good question and to answer it fully you need to study theory and harmony.  It's worth the effort.  Ask your teacher about it.

[Bob]

Hopefully I'm reading htis right...

The first chord is a G# dominant chord.  A V7 chord in c# minor.  G# B# D# F#  Technically still a B#, although it's the same key as C natural.  I was waiting for something else to say it.

That B# is very important.  It leads up to the home base tonice note of C#.  You can see that in beat 2.

That's why your teacher will be all over you if you miss it.  It's not like playing another missed note.  That's an important note and B natural isn't the same thing at all.

Don't forget the other B# on beat four.  Beat four is the G#V7 again.  The notes have just shifted.  I see c# next in the bass.  I bet there is a c# coming up soon that the B# resolves too.  If you see the next B in ( ) 's or if the next B is marked natural, those are courtesy accidentals to remind the performer that that note has gone back to natural.

[berrt]

Thank you! I was confused because I didn't know why they don't just draw a C on there.

that had required a "natural" sign

[xpjamiexd]

Yeah as has already been said the note is a C natural. B# is used particularly in songs that are in keys such as C# minor to save having to indicate a natural next to the C, the same is true of using notes such a Cb to indicate a B natural in song that is in E - flat minor.

[sborovic]

Why do you play Moonlight sonata (which is very hard to play though) when you don't even know the basics?

[lau]

Why do you play Moonlight sonata (which is very hard to play though) when you don't even know the basics?

I have been playing for 9 years. and am playing chopin etudes, and about just a year ago i figured out that if there is an accidental in a measure, it makes that note accidented for the whole measure.

[shortyshort]

I have been playing for 9 years. and am playing chopin etudes, and about just a year ago i figured out that if there is an accidental in a measure, it makes that note accidented for the whole measure.

Really? 

What did that sound like? 

[sborovic]

I have been playing for 9 years. and am playing chopin etudes, and about just a year ago i figured out that if there is an accidental in a measure, it makes that note accidented for the whole measure.

It's like you don't know the alphabet, and try to read Kafka's short stories 

[tompilk]

you should take a look at some of alkan's music. it's terrible to read... double sharps and e# and b# everywhere!!!

[slobone]

you should take a look at some of alkan's music. it's terrible to read... double sharps and e# and b# everywhere!!!

Chopin too. In fact I was reading a mazurka recently that starts out in a particular key, then modulates after just a few measures. For the rest of the piece, there are double sharps everywhere because he never gets around to changing the key signature. What a pain!

[xpjamiexd]

I though I'd say that also in Moonlight Sonata there is also a change of cleffs (treble to bass) so you have to then read the treble as if it too were a bass cleff.