AccidentalsSharps, flats and naturals — and exactly how long each one lasts.MusicAn accidental applies to that pitch, in that octave,for the rest of the bar — then it expires.♯ up a semitone · ♭ down a semitone · ♮ cancelF♯ on beat 1, plain F on beat 3, same barBoth are F♯The accidental is still in force.The same F in the NEXT barF naturalThe barline cancelled it.F♯ in the key signatureEvery F is sharp, every barKey signatures do not expire.THE COMMON MISTAKE✗ Applying an accidental to the same letter in another octave✓ It applies only to the octave it is written inA written F♯ on the top line does not sharpen the F below it, unless the keysignature does.A double sharp — written as an x — raises two semitones; a double flat(♭♭) lowers two. Both are cancelled by a single natural.Accidentalslearnposters.com
Accidentals — printable music wall chart from LearnPosters. Free vector PDF, US Letter and A4.

What’s on the Accidentals poster

The rule, 3 worked examples, and the mistake everyone makes.

A double sharp — written as an x — raises two semitones; a double flat (♭♭) lowers two. Both are cancelled by a single natural.

Questions about the Accidentals poster

What’s on the Accidentals poster?
The rule, 3 worked examples, and the mistake everyone makes. An accidental applies to that pitch, in that octave, for the rest of the bar — then i…; ♯ up a semitone · ♭ down a semitone · ♮ cancel; F♯ on beat 1, plain F on beat 3, same bar = Both are F♯; The same F in the NEXT bar = F natural; F♯ in the key signature = Every F is sharp, every bar; Common mistake: Applying an accidental to the same letter in another octave → It appl…. A double sharp — written as an x — raises two semitones; a double flat (♭♭) lowers two. Both are cancelled by a single natural.
Who is the Accidentals poster for?
Accidentals belongs to the Music section rather than to a school year, because music is not something one grade owns. Anyone learning notation can pin it up — a beginner, a student mid-course, or someone revising years later.
When should you use the Accidentals poster?
An accidental lasts to the end of its bar. That single rule causes most wrong notes in sight-reading. A wall chart earns its place by being glanceable from where the work is happening, so Accidentals belongs on the wall where that music work actually happens, within glancing distance, rather than filed away.
What other posters go with Accidentals?
Articulation, Dynamics & Tempo and Ledger Lines & Octave Marks sit alongside Accidentals in the Music section. Printed together they make a wall rather than a single sheet, which is how a reference set actually gets used.ArticulationDynamics & TempoLedger Lines & Octave Marks
Is the Accidentals poster free to download and print?
Yes. Accidentals downloads as a free PDF with no account, no email and no watermark, like everything else in the Music section. Print as many copies as you like for a home, a classroom, a library or a tutoring group; reselling the file is the only thing the licence rules out.Read the licence
What size does the Accidentals poster print at?
Accidentals is a vector PDF laid out for US Letter, and prints on A4 with Fit to page — the same file, no separate download. Because every mark on it is drawn rather than photographed, it stays sharp enlarged to A3, A2 or A1 at a copy shop. Colour carries emphasis only, so a greyscale print of Accidentals loses nothing.Printing guide

Related posters

Charts that sit alongside Accidentals on the same wall.

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