← Piano · Chords · about 20 min
Black keys: sharps and flats
Why the black keys have two names, and your first scale with a sharp.
Sharps and flats
The distance from one key to the very next key (black or white) is a half step.
A sharp (♯) raises a note by one half step: move right to the next key. A flat (♭) lowers a note by one half step: move left.
Each black key has two names. The black key between C and D is C♯ (up from C) and also D♭ (down from D). Same key, two names.
G major: one sharp
G major has one black key: F♯. Every F in this scale is raised to F♯. Play G A B C D E F♯ G.