sharp

A sharp (♯) raises a note by one semitone — the smallest standard interval in Western music. When placed before a note on the staff, the sharp applies to all subsequent occurrences of that note within the same measure. A double sharp (𝄪) raises a note by two semitones. Sharps appear in key signatures to indicate the key of a piece. Keys with sharps include G major (one sharp), D major (two sharps), and so on through C♯ major (seven sharps). The order of sharps in a key signature follows a fixed pattern: F, C, G, D, A, E, B. Understanding sharps and their relationship to key signatures is fundamental to reading music.