Two flats placed before a note lower the pitch by a whole step. What is this accidental called?

Prepare for the Certificate of Merit (CM) Piano Theory Level 9 Exam. Utilize flashcards and multiple-choice questions to enhance learning, each question accompanied by explanations and hints. Ace your piano theory test!

Multiple Choice

Two flats placed before a note lower the pitch by a whole step. What is this accidental called?

Explanation:
Two flats before a note lower the pitch by two semitones, which is a whole step. This is called a double flat. A single flat lowers by one semitone, a natural cancels a previous flat or sharp, and a sharp raises by one semitone. So applying two flats gives a pitch two semitones lower than the natural note, i.e., a whole step down. For example, a double flat makes the note sound two semitones lower than its natural pitch.

Two flats before a note lower the pitch by two semitones, which is a whole step. This is called a double flat. A single flat lowers by one semitone, a natural cancels a previous flat or sharp, and a sharp raises by one semitone. So applying two flats gives a pitch two semitones lower than the natural note, i.e., a whole step down. For example, a double flat makes the note sound two semitones lower than its natural pitch.

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