Music Notes and Scales Explained: Sharps, Flats and the Chromatic Scale
The chromatic scale is simply every note an instrument can play, in order from low to high. It is the alphabet that all music theory is built on. 🎵
The chromatic scale
Start on C, and go up in the smallest possible steps (half steps). These are the twelve notes:
After B, the pattern starts again on C, one octave higher.
Sharps and flats
A sharp (♯) raises a note by one half step. A flat (♭) lowers a note by one half step. That is why C♯ and D♭ are the same note. C♯ is “C, one half step up.” D♭ is “D, one half step down.” Both land on the exact same note. Which name you use depends on the key of the music, not on the sound.
Why two notes don't get a sharp
Look at the scale above. There is no note between E and F. And no note between B and C. That is not a mistake. These two pairs are already only a half step apart. So there is no room for a sharp. That is also why you almost never see E♯ or B♯. “E, one half step up” is simply F. You only meet E♯ in more advanced theory, for special reasons.
Frequently asked questions
Is C♯ the same note as D♭?
Yes. On a normal instrument they are the exact same note, the same key or fret. The name you use depends on the key of the music, not on the sound.
Why don't E♯ and B♯ exist?
Between E and F, and between B and C, there is already only a half step. A sharp always means the very next half step up. So E sharp is simply F.
Why do some people call the note B "H"?
In some countries in Northern and Central Europe, B is called H. It comes from an old writing mistake, when music notation spread across Europe many centuries ago. B and H are the same note.