Musical notation its "natural" form, which means that any sharps or flats applying to that note from the key signature or from accidentals are cancelled. Sometimes a courtesy accidental is used in music where it is not technically required, to remind the musician of what pitch the key signature requires. Following the key signature is the time signature. The time signature typically consists of two numbers, with one of the most common being "4/4". The top "4" indicates that there are four beats per measure (also called bar). The bottom "4" indicates that each of those beats are quarter notes. Measures divide
Key signature the signature. In the major key with four flats (B E A D), for example, the penultimate flat is A, indicating a key of A major. In this case each new scale starts a fifth "below" (or a fourth above) the previous one. A key signature is not the same as a key; key signatures are merely notational devices. They are convenient principally for diatonic or tonal music. The key signature defines the diatonic scale that a piece of music uses without the need for accidentals. Most scales require that some notes be consistently sharped or flatted. For example, the