Accidentals

Accidentals are signs which indicate temporary chromatic alteration.
A sharp raises the pitch of a note by a semitone and a flat lowers the pitch by a semitone.
Similarly, a double-sharp raises the pitch by 2 semitones and a double-flat lowers the pitch by 2 semitones.

Table of Contents

Horizontal Spacing
Vertical Alignment
Kallisti Press Tips

HORIZONTAL SPACING

Spacing of accidentals may vary from score to score, depending on how many notes must fit into a measure, whether there are multiple accidentals, and whether they are alike or not alike.

• Single accidentals before a single note: measure 1.5 Spaces or 27 EVPU's from the left side of the notehead to the left side of the accidental.

  

• Double accidentals: measure 1.5 spaces or 27 EVPU's from the left side of the notehead to the left side of the accidental nearest to the note.

  

• Multiple alike accidentals have the same spacing as key signatures.

• Multiple unlike accidentals can be closer together but preferrably not touching.

  

VERTICAL ALIGNMENT

Vertical alignment of accidentals is determined by:

1. Intervals between notes in the chord

2. How many notes are in the chord: 2, 3 or 4+

3. Whether there are suspended notes in the chord, and which side of the stem they are on.

In any note combination without suspended notes, if the interval between notes with accidentals is more than a 7th, the accidentals are directly above each other.

Below are tables of rules of alignment for accidentals in the different possible note combinations.

Example																				Number of Notes in the Chord																				Interval Between Top & Bottom Notes																				Are There Suspended Notes?																				Resulting Placement of Accidentals
																				2																				Less than a 7th																				No																				Highest accidental is closest to the notes; lower accidental is further left.
																				3																				Less than a 7th																				No																				Same as above
																				3																				Less than a 7th																				Yes, on the right side of the stem																				Accidental for the suspended note is closest to the notes
																				Any number																				Any interval																				Yes, on the left side of the stem																				Accidental for the suspended note is further from the notes

Notes suspended on the right of the stem:

Example																				Interval Between Top and Bottom Notes																				Are There Suspended Notes?																				Resulting Placement of Accidentals
																				7th or Greater																				No																				Accidentals for the top and bottom notes are vertically aligned near the noteheads; other accidental is further left.
																				Less than a 7th																				No																				Highest accidental is nearest the notes; lowest accidental further left; remaining accidental is farthest left.
																				7th or Greater ( *interval of notes above the suspended note)																				Yes, any note																				Accidental of suspended note is nearest the notehead; highest is further left; lowest is farthest left.
																				7th or Greater																				Yes, the top note																				Top and bottom accidentals are vertically aligned; remaining accidental is further left.
																				Less than a 7th																				Yes, the top note																				Accidental of suspended note is nearest to the notes; lowest accidental is further left; remaining accidental is farthest left.
																				Less than a 7th																				Yes, the middle note																				Accidental of suspended note is nearest to the notes; highest accidental is further left; lowest accidental is farthest left.

Notes suspended on the left of the stem:

Example																				Interval Between Top and Bottom Notes																				Location of Suspended Note																				Resulting Placement of Accidentals
																				Less than a 7th																				Bottom note																				Highest accidental is closest to notes; accidental of suspended note is farthest left; other accidental is in between.
																				More than a 7th																				Bottom note																				Same placement as above.
																				Less than a 7th																				Middle note																				Lowest accidental is closest to notes: accidental of suspended note is farthest left; othe accidental is in between.

Interval Between Top & Bottom Notes																				Are There Suspended Notes?																				Example of Accidental Placement
7th or Greater																				No
7th or Greater																				Yes
Less than a 7th																				Yes
2 intervals of a 7th or Greater																				No

KALLISTI PRESS TIPS

In pre-20th century music, if you have a sharp following a flat in the same measure (or vice-versa) you have to cancel the first accidental before applying the second; that is, the second note will have a natural sign preceding the regular accidental. The same rule applies if you have a double-sharp followed by a single-sharp (or double flat to single flat). Since Finale's accidental engine doesn't provide this notation, it has to be entered as an articulation, which will position automatically with these settings:

natural D note 0, -56 -12 -56 12