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A flat (♭) is a musical symbol that lowers a note by one semitone. When a flat appears before a note, the pitch is lowered to the next key immediately to the left on the piano keyboard.
What is a flat?
A flat changes the name and pitch of a note by lowering it one semitone. For example, B becomes B♭, E becomes E♭ and A becomes A♭.
Flats may appear as accidentals, affecting only the notes within the current measure, or as part of the key signature, where they apply throughout the piece unless cancelled by another accidental.
How are flats used in piano playing?
On the piano, playing a flat usually means moving one semitone to the left. In many cases this means playing a neighboring black key, although in some situations it may be a white key, such as B to B♭ or C to C♭, depending on the musical context.
Understanding flats is essential for reading sheet music, playing scales and chords, and performing music in flat keys such as B♭ major, E♭ major and A♭ major.