What does the term "flat" mean in music?
Q: What does the term "flat" mean in music?
A: In music, flat, or Bemolle, means "lower in pitch." In music notation, flat means "lower in pitch by a semitone (half step)."
Q: What is the symbol for flat?
A: The symbol for flat is '♭' (U+266D). Its HTML entity is ♭.
Q: Are there double flats and triple flats?
A: Yes, double flats exist which look like and lower a note by two semitones, or a whole step. Triple flats are very rare and lower a note three semitones.
Q: How do half or three-quarter flats appear?
A: A half flat is sometimes shown with a flat with a slash () or a reversed flat sign. A three-quarter flat is represented by a half flat and a regular flat.
Q: Can you give an example of how an A Flat looks in musical notation?
A: An example of an A Flat in musical notation can be seen together with an A Double Flat in Figure 1.
Q: How does "flat" apply to tuning instruments?
A: In tuning instruments, "flat" can also mean "slightly lower in pitch". If the same note is played on two instruments at the same time, the lower-pitched one will be considered as being slightly flatter than the higher-pitched one.
