How to spell notes correctly (music theory lesson)

Did anyone ever teach you how to spell notes correctly?

As in, when to call a note F#...

And when to call it Gb.

Or when to call a note C#...

Or Db...

Or even B double sharp?

Today I'm going to show you how to spell notes correctly every time.

By the time you finish reading this, you'll be all set.

Let's dive in:

Every note can be spelled multiple ways

Db can be written as a 'Db', or 'C#' (or even 'B double-sharp').
F natural can be written as 'F natural', or 'E sharp' (or even 'G double-flat').
B natural can be written as 'B natural', or 'C flat' (or even 'A double-sharp').

And so on.

But not all spellings are correct.

In fact, only one spelling is correct.

So here's how to spell correctly

Think of each note in two parts:

The first part is the letter: C... D... E... F... G... A... B...

The second part is the sharp, or flat, or natural.

To spell notes correctly - it's all about the FIRST PART - the note letter.

If you get the note letters correct - your spelling will be correct.

1. How to spell scales

How you spell scales is different to how you spell chords.

If you're writing out a scale, each note should move up the letters in step:

C - D - E - F - G - A - B

You should never see two notes using the same letter:

Db and D# is probably wrong (it should be Db and Eb - or C# and D#).
Ab and A# is probably wrong (it should be Ab and Bb - or - G# and A#).

Each note should have its own letter, with no doubled letters.

Start with the root:

To spell a scale accurately, start with the root:

If you're writing out a D major scale - start with D.

Then write out the six remaining letters, ascending one letter at a time:

(D...) E... F... G... A... B... C...

Once you've got the correct letters in place - THEN you can get precise and add any sharps or flats - as needed.

In this case, D major scale has F# and C#.

Now if you go up the notes of the scale in order, the spelling will work itself out:

D is taken for the root.
E is taken for the second.
F# is taken for the 3rd (and we can't call it Gb - because then F wouldn't be used and we'd run out of letters).
G is the 4th - and so on.

Each letter is used for one note, and there are no doubles.

2. How to spell chords

Chords are slightly different to scales:

Scales are built in steps (2nds) - so we spell scales going up one letter at a time (C - D - E - F - G - A - B).
Chords however are built in 3rds - so we skip a letter in-between each note (C - E - G - B - D - F - A).

So to spell a chord correctly - start with the root (as we did for scales).

Next, write out your letters to the chord - this time skip a letter between every note.

And finally, add any sharps or flats as needed - to make the chord accurate.

If it's a major 7 chord, make sure the interval pattern is correct.
If it's a minor 7 chord, make sure the interval pattern is correct.

And with chords, there's less notes you need to spell than scales:

If it's a 7th chord - there's only four notes to spell.
If it's a 9th chord - there's only five notes to spell.

Only a 13th chord would require you to spell all seven notes.

So if I had to spell a B13 chord - I would start with my letters:

B (skip) - D - (skip) - F - (skip) - A - (skip) - C - (skip) - E - (skip) - G.

Never mind sharps and flats yet. Just get the letters going every-other.

Lastly, I add any sharps and flats, as needed:

B - D# - F# - A - C# - E - G#

I have the correct notes, and the correct spelling.

At a glance, you can see the 'every other note' pattern in the note letters: B D F A C E G.

Free Resource: Download my 'Chord Symbol Reference Guide'

Shows you all types of Jazz chord notated clearly on one page - including 7ths, 9ths, 11ths, 13ths.

3. How to spell intervals

Lastly, note spelling is important when you're counting intervals.

For example, can you answer this:

"What note is a 5th above B?"

...

Would you say F#...

Or Gb?

Well, when you're counting an interval, imagine there's a scale you're counting up.

With scales, we count up in steps (C D E etc).

So if B is the root - let's count up the letters in step:

B... C... D... E... F...

The 5th letter is F.

That means we need to spell the 5th as some sort of F...

Lastly, we adjust the second part of the note (sharp, flat, or natural).

In this case, I've memorized all of the 5ths from all 12 notes (do this now if you haven't)...

So we know that F# is a 5th above B...

And we spell it correctly as F# (not Gb).

A simpler method

If this is too complicated, here's a simpler method that works MOST of the time (but not always):

Stick to using all sharps, or all flats.

If the sheet music already uses sharps - then continue to spell using sharps (don't switch to flats).
If the sheet music already uses flats - then continue to spell using flats (don't switch to sharps).

It's rare to see sharps and flats in the same piece of music.

Usually it's one or the other (all sharps, or all flats).

However... it can happen.

Sometimes it's correct to spell with sharps and flats. For example:

D harmonic minor scale - is correctly spelled with a Bb and C# (D E F G A Bb C#).
G harmonic minor scale - is correctly spelled with a Bb and F# (G A Bb C D E F#).

The same goes for several 'melodic minor' scales (D melodic minor, G melodic minor, etc).

So this is not a rule...

Sticking to all flats or all sharps is not always correct...

But it does work about 97% of the time.

So if you want a simple method that works for most situations - simply stick to using all sharps or all flats in your spelling.

"How do you know what sharps and flats to add?"

Note spelling is relatively easy (just get the note letters right).

But the second part is more difficult...

Adding the right sharps and flats - requires precision.

This is where you have to know your intervals.

Everything you learn in music, you should learn it as an interval pattern.

Whether it's a new scale, chord, or chord voicing...

Memorize it as an interval pattern, and then you can build that interval pattern from any of the 12 notes.

(This is way better than trying to memorize note names to every chord, scale, and voicing - built from 12 different notes).

For example, I think of C min 6 ('C minor 6 chord') like this:

Root + minor 3rd + major 3rd + whole-step.

Now I can build that interval pattern from any note (C, C#, D, Eb, E, etc).

Or this is how I think of D-7b5 ('D minor 7 flat 5'):

Root + minor 3rd + minor 3rd + major 3rd.

Now I can build that interval pattern from any note.

So to learn Jazz piano quickly, you must know your intervals.

Practice Questions:

See if you can identify the correct note, with the correct spelling.

(Answers below).

"What note is a major 3rd up from A?"

2. "What note is the 4th note of Db major scale?"

3. "What note is the 7th of a 'B major 7' chord?"

4. "What note is the 5th of a Gb minor chord?"

5. "What note is a minor 3rd up from Bb?"

Answers:

Major 3rd up from A?

Letters first: 3rd above A has to be some sort of C...

Because A - B - C.

Then get the interval pattern right: Major scale starts with two whole-steps.

A - B - C#.

Answer = C#.

4th note of Db major scale?

Letters first: 4th above D has to be some sort of G...

Because D - E - F - G.

Then get the interval pattern right: Major scale starts with two whole-steps + half-step.

Count up that pattern and you reach Gb.

Answer = Gb.

7th note of B major scale?

Letters first: 7th above B has to be some sort of A...

Because B - C - D - E - F - G - A.

Then get the interval pattern right: Major scale's 7th is a half-step below the root.

Answer = A#.

5th of a Gb minor chord?

Letters first: 5th above G has to be some sort of D...

Because G - A - B - C - D.

Then get the interval pattern right:

Minor chords have a natural 5th.

Answer = Db.

Minor 3rd up from Bb?

Letters first: 3rd above B has to be some sort of D...

Because B - C - D.

Then get the interval pattern right: Minor chords have a minor 3rd.

Answer = Db.

Summary:

To spell correctly, think of each note in two parts:

The note letter.
The sharp / flat / natural at the end.

To spell correctly, get the note letter right first.

If it's a scale - all notes should go up one at a time (in 2nds): C D E F G A B.
If it's a chord - all notes should go up 'every other' (in 3rds): C - E - G - B - D - F - A.
If it's an interval - imagine you're going up a scale, and count up the letters in step (however many notes the interval states): C D E F G A B.

Once you have the correct letter in place, adjust any notes as needed (sharp, flat, or natural).

And if all of this is too much - you can simply stick to 'all sharps' or 'all flats' (whatever the music uses) - and 97% of the time you'll be correct.

That's it for this week's Jazz tip!

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