What do accidentals in music notation include?

Accidentals in music notation are symbols that are used to alter the pitch of a note. The primary accidentals are sharp (♯), flat (♭), and natural (♮), which indicate that the pitch of the note should be raised or lowered at the composer’s discretion.

When a sharp is placed before a note, it raises the pitch by a half step. Conversely, a flat lowers the pitch by a half step. A natural sign cancels any previous accidentals, restoring the note to its original pitch within the context of the key signature.

Understanding accidentals is crucial for interpreting music accurately, as they provide essential information about how a note should be played relative to the tonal context of the piece. This understanding is foundational for musicians, as it affects both performance and composition.

In contrast, the other options do not accurately reflect the definition of accidentals in music notation. Notation without modification does not involve any pitch alteration, sharp notes alone do not encompass the full range of accidentals, and clef indicators serve a different purpose altogether, mainly for indicating the pitch range of notes on the staff rather than modifying individual pitches.