Enharmonic Equivalents

Different names and notation for the same pitch.

Published: 01 Sep 2005 Updated: 24 Aug 2022Visits: 0Code: ML-basic-19

Category: TheoryInstrument: Music Subjects: Theory • Reading • Beginner • Intermediate • Advanced • Enharmonic • Equivalent

Share Enharmonic Equivalents on: Bluesky facebook twitter (X)

All 2 sample page(s) are viewable on-line.

If you are a registered site member, have verified your email address, and have the correct permissions you can view ALL the pages of this PDF or Samples pages at a larger size using the LearningUkulele.com Online PDF Viewer .

This Download is NOT part of your LearningUkulele.com membership level.

Sign-up for Premium Site Access or Upgrade Your Plan your current access level to download this PDF or your can purchase a copy for download.

After purchasing a PDF , a download link > will be sent to you within 24hrs.

Contact LearningUkulele.com if there are any issues.

Each PDF file is a formatted, high resolution file that prints out great. You'll need a PDF Reader or application capable of viewing PDF files to view the PDF.

Download the PDF file for the latest, complete, and most up-to-date version. As well as additional information not presented on-line.

Members and Active Students need to sign-in to download this lesson's PDF for the complete lesson.

Enharmonic Equivalents


An Enharmonic Equivalent is where a musical pitch can have different names depending on the context in which it is functioning. An example is G# produces the same pitch as Ab.

Enharmonic equivalents, same pitch — differnt name, will sound the same but are notated differently using standard music notation.

Enharmonic Equivalents are used for the correct spelling of scales and chords.

Sharp to Flats

  • A# <=> Bb
  • B# <=> C
  • C# <=> Db
  • D# <=> Eb
  • E# <=> F
  • F# <=> Gb
  • G# <=> Ab

Flats to Sharps

  • Ab <=> G#
  • Bb <=> A#
  • Cb <=> B
  • Db <=> C#
  • Eb <=> D#
  • Fb <=> E
  • Gb <=> F#

So Yes, there is an E♯, B♯, C♭, and F♭.

Sign-IN — it's FREE — to view, un-blur any additional content for this lesson.

Enharmonic Equivalents…

The Piano

The piano provides a great graphical representation of the natural notes ( A B C D E F G ) their sharps and flats. ALL the white keys are the natural notes.

Note: Although a lot less common than the above sharp and flat equivalents, there are also double sharps, double flats. And although very, very rare even triple sharps and flats These would be called Enharmonic Equivalents as well.

Often in the quest to have something played correctly and not knowing the final musician's musicial level that would play a piece. It is safer to use a more common Enharmonic equivalent.

Chord Spelling

The notes of ALL chords can be determined from their corresponding major scale.

Using the C, C♯, and C♭ Major scales as examples. The chrod tomes for the major triads are the 1st, 3rd, and 5th scale degrees of theor corresponding scales.

C

Major Scale: C D E F G A B C`. The C major triad is C E G.

C♯

Major Scale: C♯ D♯ E♯ F♯ G♯ A♯ B♯ C♯`. The C♯; major triad is C♯ E♯ G♯.

C♭

Major Scale: C♭ D♭ E♭ F♭ G♭; A♭ B♭ C♭`. The C♭ major triad is C♭ E♭ G♭.

As you see, the letter E is the 3rd and can never be the 4th. E♯ is not the same name as F — same pitch, yes — name, No.

Download the PDF file for the latest, complete, and most up-to-date version. As well as additional information not presented on-line.

End of Lesson - Thanks, Hope You Enjoyed It!

Related Lessons, Videos, Lesson Series, Songs, Books & Reference Charts, Resources & Assets, Workshops are below.

Related Lessons

Related Lessons for Enharmonic Equivalents.

ML-basic-03

Ear Training - Pitch Recognition

Updated: 20 Mar 2024

Ear Training is the development of the active and passive capability to relate to music aurally. This includes the ability to recognize melodic and harmonic intervals, chords, chords progressions, rhythm, melody, and harmony.

UL31

Understanding Diatonic Intervals

Updated: 13 May 2024

An interval is the distance between two notes. An interval has a name and a type. Intervals can be played one note (melodic) or two notes (harmonic) at a time, ascending or descending. Simple and Compound Intervals are taken from a major scale. Chromatic Intervals are NOT taken from a major scale. They are derived from the diatonic intervals.

UL31b

Understanding Chromatic Intervals

Updated: 14 Dec 2018

An interval is the distance between two notes. An interval has a name and a type. "Chromatic Intervals" are NOT taken from a major scale. They are derived from the diatonic intervals.

UL31c

Understanding Interval Inversion

Updated: 02 Jul 2015

Inverting intervals using the "Rule of Nine". An interval is the distance between two notes. An interval has a name and a type. Intervals can be played one note (melodic) or two notes (harmonic) at a time, ascending or descending.

Related Lesson Series

Related Lessons Series for Enharmonic Equivalents.

Understanding Intervals

Updated: 09 Jun 2023

An interval is the distance between two notes. An interval has a name and a type. Intervals can be played one note (melodic) or two notes (harmonic) at a time, ascending or descending.

Related Songs

Related Songs for Enharmonic Equivalents.

ANYSONG

Any Song Will Do

Updated: 07 Dec 2015

This is not really a song, but simply saying that for the purposes of a lot of the lessons and lesson series on this site ANY song will do for exploring the lesson's material and concepts presented in the lesson.

Related Books & Charts

Related Books for Enharmonic Equivalents.

AGCCH1

A Guide to Advanced Chord Series - Chord Building Chart

Updated: 26 Jul 2022

Luckily, chord names have the information you need, with a minimum of "Chord Theory" to build any chord you come across.

PM1

Daily Practice Material for the Contemporary Musician

Updated: 28 Sep 2021

Daily Practice Material for the Contemporary Musician is an organized collection of daily practice and reference material for the contemporary ukulele player. This material can be used to develop the vocabulary and knowledge necessary for single note playing.

A Selection of Books & Reference Charts that are recommended for creating a solid foundation with your chosen instrument and music in general.

Books

Learning the Ukulele Fingerboard – C Tuning

Finally, learn the names of the notes of the fingerboard.

Six Secrets of Ukulele Fingering

Learn the six fingering principles to navigating the ukulele fingerboard. Fingering is one of the most universal topics.

Harmonic Analysis for Scale Selection and Chord Substitution

Harmonic Analysis is the understanding of the functional sequence of chords. It is the process used to analyze the harmonic structure of a progression, song or composition.

Ukulele – Reading Music Series – Primer

Learn to read single note melodies in the first/open position is a lot easier than you might think.

Daily Practice Material for the Contemporary Ukulele

An organized collection of daily practice and reference material for the contemporary ukulele player for developing the vocabulary and knowledge necessary for single note playing.

Checkout the Books for ALL available books.

Reference Charts

Ukulele Fingerboard Chart for C Tuning, Low or High G - G C E A

Ukulele Fingerboard Chart for C Tuning, Low or High G – G C E A

Ukulele Fingerboard Chart for G Tuning, Low or High A – D G B E

Ukulele Fingerboard Chart for G Tuning, Low or High A – D G B E

Key Signatures — Circle of Fourths and Fifths – ANSI A & A4 sizes

A handy reference chart of all 15 major and relative minor key signatures. US Letter 8.5 x 11 sized (ANSI-A) , A4

Checkout the Books for additional Handy, Dandy Reference Charts.

Related Lesson Files, Resources and Assets

Related Assets for Enharmonic Equivalents.

FL68

A Guide to Advanced Chords Series - Chord Building Chart

Updated: 31 Dec 2016

A handle dandy reference chart for building fifteen (15) basic triads and 4-part chords.

Site Access Plans for LearningUkulele.com

Forever Access - With Forever Premium Access, you get ALL the benefits of a Premium Access Subscription such as Unlimited 24/7 access to ALL lessons, downloads, songs, play-along jam tracks, videos, email access to Curt, resources, related assets, and ALL books by Curt as FREE downloads. Pretty much everything on the site, and NEVER worry about a subscription or surprise payment again. And jump the queue for responding to any questions.

If you're anything like me (Curt) and getting Subscription overloaded with everything and everybody on-line wanting money from you once a month — I'm with you. For like-minded individuals, this forever plan is a pay once, and you're done.

The price for Unlimited Forever access is right around the cost of a few months of private lessons. I can guarantee there is more than enough material on-line to keep you busy for a long, long time. And, you get all of my books for FREE. That alone is more than the cost of this plan.

Premium Access - This premium gives you Unlimited 24/7 access to ALL lessons, downloads, songs, play-along jam tracks, videos, email access to Curt, resources and related assets. As well as ALL books by Curt Sheller as FREE downloads.

Basic Access - A limited selection of basic lessons — ( currently over 140 ) and 100+ songs for ukulele as well as basic general music reference material — Completely FREE — Simply Register/Signup. HOWEVER - I've been doing ukulele and LearningUkulele.com since 2003 and probably have given too much away already - as reflected in my income from the site in relationship to the time spent on the site. So help support this site and its continued development by signing up for one of the below Premium Access Plans or buy a few of my books. - Thanks, Curt

NOTE: Each higher access level includes ALL the benefits of the lower levels. Private Lessons include all the benefits of a Premium Access Plans as long as you remain a student on the schedule.

Just browsing over both books, they look fantastic! I'm a guitarist and uke player for over 25 years and was thinking about writing a ukulele book but you've already written what I think are the best, most comprehensive and thorough books I've ever seen for the instrument. I just might end up buying every book you've written and I'll be giving my highest recommendation for your books to my friends and students. Thank you so much for taking the time to write such great books!Peter Rhee

Aloha, Curt, All I can say is WOW! What you have accomplished is simply incredible! All the bestGlen Hirabayashi, The Aloha Boys

Folks, if you haven't stopped by Curt's site, do so right now! ..And get his books, they are fantastic. This guy knows his stuff and is able to pass it along too.Alan Johnson Proprietor, The 4th Peg

I can highly recommend Curt's Uke books — I have four of them and they are excellent.fatveg — Portland

Want to drop LearningUkulele.com & Learning Ukulele with Curt a nice comment . We always like to know how we are and you are doing. We'll post any comment, quotes throughout the site and you can help spread the word .

Thanks for visiting and checking out the site!

curtieAnim.gif rw.vg.gif

Original Curtie Animation from 1987 for my first web site on a Macintosh II, 37 years ago. Man, does time fly.

“Built for myself (Curt), and sharing with the `Ukulele community!”

LearningUkulele.com has one of the largest collections of lessons, songs, and TABS, Luthiers, ukulele builders, ukulele festival and club information, and, ukulele links on the web. Curt has been on the ®Internet since the early 1990's and This site just never stops growing!!!

Content is added and updated daily — so check back often. I really do need to get out more ;-)

Love LearningUkulele.com? • Show your support!
Support development via a monthly membership or a one-time forever membership!