Flat
An accidental that lowers the pitch of a note by one semitone.
Category
pitch
Origin
English
Length
176 words · 1 min read
About Flat
The flat sign (♭) placed before a note on the staff instructs the performer to play the note one semitone lower than its natural pitch. For example, B♭ sounds one semitone below B natural.
More pitch terms
Frequency
View all pitchterms →The number of sound-wave vibrations per second, measured in hertz, that determines how high or low a pitch sounds.
CentsA logarithmic unit that divides each semitone into 100 equal parts, used for precise measurement of pitch intervals.
TessituraThe range of pitches within which a vocal or instrumental part predominantly sits, distinct from total range.
Enharmonic EquivalentTwo notes that sound the same pitch but are written with different letter names, such as F-sharp and G-flat.
RisonamentoA rarely used Italian term for the sustained resonance produced by sympathetic vibration between strings
Synonyms
Antonyms
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v1 · 10/04/2026Browse all terms →