2.2 Chromatic Alteration: Accidentals

L E A R N I N G   O B J E C T I V E S

1. Defining diatonic pitches and chromatic alteration.
2. Defining

musica ficta

, accidentals, precautionary accidentals.

3. Understanding enharmonic equivalence.

The term

diatonic

denotes pitches that occur naturally in a theoretical system of

music with respect to its components. A simplistic (and incorrect) view describes
diatonic pitches as “the white notes” on the piano. The word

chromatic

comes from

the Greek word for “color,”

kromos

. In early music, this term was employed to

describe those pitches lying outside of the theoretical collection of pitches, pitches
that were altered for various reasons. The term

chromaticism

7

will recur from time

to time to describe altered pitches and their effects in music.

Early music made use of a fixed number of pitches organized into a system of
overlapping six-tone sequences (

hexachords

). As compositional styles evolved and

new resources added, composers routinely altered pitches for a variety of reasons.
Sometimes a pitch was considered to sound too “hard” and was therefore
“softened” (lowered). Sometimes pitches were altered (raised) to provide a more
pronounced resolution to a following pitch. These altered pitches were called

musica ficta

(“contrived” or “feigned” music; “false” music). Originally the

conditional use of these alterations was understood, therefore not notated. In time,
the symbols representing an altered pitch were added above the note, almost as an
editorial marking. Eventually these symbols were incorporated into the music,
preceding the note they modified.

Accidentals

These symbols became what we call

accidentals

8

. The need for these alterations

came about because of our inherently flawed system of notating pitch: we have
twelve pitches in our system yet only seven letter names. Accidentals accommodate
these alterations. The “sharp” sign (the octothorpe or “pound” sign) raises a pitch,
the “flat” sign (lower-case “b”) lowers a pitch. The natural sign cancels any other
accidental. Double flats and double sharps may occur occasionally, their use
determined by context.

7. Chromaticism refers to those

altered pitches that lie
“outside” the range of a
particular collection.

8. Accidentals are those

specialized symbols used to
show chromatic alterations.

Chapter 2 The Elements of Pitch:Sound, Symbol, and Tone

62