If you understand double flats and double sharps, you might be wondering why they even exist? It seems like a way to make music more complicated than it needs to be. Maybe it’s the reason that music theorists all over the world have a job or maybe it’s a great way to impress your friends as a party. The truth is that these doubled accidentals do have a purpose. Let’s explore why you have to be bothered with them.

What Are They?

First, let’s look at what they are. You probably know that when you see a sharp, it raises the not one half step. If you see an F#, you go from the white key “F” up to the black key “F#” sitting right next to F. If you see an Eb, you go down to the closest black key. You likely also know that due to something called enharmonics, you can go up to an F# or down to a Gb and they’re the same black key.

But double flats and double sharps do exactly what they’re name implies. Rather than going up one half step with a sharp, you go up two half steps with a double sharp. Looking at our F again, an F double sharp (written with an “x”) goes up two half steps but that lands us on G. (Yes, the white key, G) An E double flat (written with two flats) takes us down to the white key, D.

Makes no Sense!

That makes no sense at all. Why not just write a “D” instead of a E double flat? Why not just write a “G” instead of a F double sharp? The primary reason is simple- to be a law abiding musician. In western music, there are some rules and one of those has to do with how you write scales and chords. For example, in the key of G# minor, writing the five chord requires a F double sharp in order to follow the rules. Think about it—in the key of G# minor, the F is already sharp and in order to make the V a major chord, you have to raise the 3rd of the chord one half step. How do you raise an F# one half step? By double sharping it but if you call it a G, it’s no longer a form of an F. There are other, more complicated reasons but that is the most important reason.

The good news is that in most cases, the only time you see double flats and double sharps are in minor keys and most of those keys are not commonly seen by musicians, Because of that you’re not likely to see a lot of these notes in your everyday playing.

If you do, and you’re not accustomed to these symbols, grab a pencil and write in the natural note. Although the composer can’t break the rules by writing the easier version of the note, you as the performer can write anything you would like on your music to make it easier to perform. The audience isn’t going to know the difference and you’ll feel more confident about the music you’re playing.