The Basic Overview Of Natural Sign In Music
What is a Natural in Music?
Natural is the type of accidental sign used in music theory and specifically in music notation.
All the lines in the key signature without a sharp or flat accidental sign are natural by the rule of staff music notation. So we will not see natural signs used as part of key signature signs besides a bunch of sharps or flats.
In this article, we will quickly look into what is called natural tones as related to naturals in music. Natural scale, as well as natural signs, will also be discussed.
Moreover, we will learn how we can draw the natural sign and place it properly on the staff line. And lastly, we would check what natural signs do in music.
Natural Notes (or Tones)
A note is called a natural note when it is unaltered by sharp or flat. That means a natural note is a note that has not been sharped or flatted.
And as the case may be, a note that is neither double flat nor double sharp as well.
Basically, all white keys on the piano keyboard represent natural notes. So we can say that notes A, B, C, D, E, F, and G are natural notes.
This is true because they are all notes with a white key on the keyboard instrument like the piano.
Again, natural notes do not have any sharp or flat as well as double sharp or flat.
Generally, on both piano (and organ) keyboards, we will always play a white note whenever we see a natural sign on any note within a piece of music.
Note that utilization of enharmonic spelling may twist this in some cases.
On the contrary, the black keys would be played for every sharp and flat note all things being equal.
Note that every other instrument has its respective natural notes. For instance, the modern concert harp has seven pedals A, B, C, D, E, F, and G it uses to control the pitch of the instrument.
Basically, each pedal controls a different pitch. But when depressed, each pedal (e.g. pedal C) to the middle position and turning pins stretch the string slightly, we will have a natural pitch for each string (i.e. C natural).
If we did the same thing to other pedals B, C, D, E, F, and G, we would have their respective natural notes produced as well.
Natural Scale
Basically, C major scale is known as natural scale because it contains all-natural notes from A to G. And on the other hand, every other major scale contains either one flat or sharp.
Let us run the scale of C Major on our piano keyboard as shown in the diagram above. We would see that all the notes used by the scale of C Major are white notes.
Remember we have already classified all the white notes on the piano keyboard as Natural Notes in the previous section. The result of our C Major scale formation (WWHWWWH) on the piano keyboard has confirmed that now.
NOTE: W stands for whole step (a tone) and H stands for Half Step (semitone)
Besides scale C-Major scale, all other major scales have at least one note which has to be flattened or sharpened in the scale.
This has been the case in order to conserve the correct order of tones and semitones of the scale.
So using all-natural notes for the C Major scale makes it to be called Natural Major Scale.
Natural Sign in Music
The natural sign is a musical symbol used in music notation to depict natural accidental signs.
In addition, the natural sign is an accidental sign customarily used to cancel the effect of sharp or flat from previous note or key signature.
In written key signatures with accidentals, only sharp and flat signs are used.
Natural signs are simulated (by default) in the key signatures. And are only used when there is a change in the key signature.
Note On Double Natural
We should understand that there is no such thing as double natural in music notation.
The standard natural sign is typically used to cancel the effect of both single accidentals and double accidentals.
So if we want to cancel either double sharp or double flat, we can use a single natural to that effect. Of course, the two natural signs (♮♮) was an ideal practice before but not now.
Moreover, we will use a standard natural sign along with the single sharp (♮♯) or flat (♮♭) to cancel one sharp or flat from a double sharp or double flat.
However, the natural signs are in most cases excluded in the modern notation systems.
How To Draw A Natural Sign In Music
A natural accidental symbol looks like a small tilted square with a small antenna at the top left and a small tail at the bottom right.
So to draw a natural sign we will draw a tilted square. Then mark out the small antenna and tail at the top left and bottom right respectively.
Also, we need to ensure that the middle of our square is well placed on the same line if we are drawing it for the note on the line. Or well placed on the same space for a note in the space on the staff.
Finally, the height of our natural sign should cover approximately three staff lines or spaces. And should be well aligned with the note head its effects.
What Does A Natural Sign Do In Music
In music, the basic function of a natural sign is to cancel the effect of the earlier accidental either sharp or flat.
As a result, the pitch within a measure will be restored and form the natural pitch of a note. For instance, a natural will cancel the effect of sharp on C sharp and restore the note to C natural.
Also, we can say natural is used in music notation to restore the pitch that has been previously altered by sharp or flat to natural pitch.
That means if a note at a particular pitch within a measure has been sharped or flatted, a natural will be used to restore the subsequent note within the measure to the original pitch.
Moreover, a natural sign can cancel the effect of sharp and flat from the key signature.
For instance, the natural will cancel the F flat line or space from the F-Flat Major key. Asd as a result, restore it to F-Natural within a measure.
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