Now that you have learned "half steps" you are ready to learn about "Sharps."

The word "Sharp" is like shorthand in typing. It's a short hand way of saying that you are to move 1 "half step" up the keyboard.

As an example, go to middle C on the keyboard. Move up to the first black key (1-half step). You are now on the "Sharp" of C. Another way of saying this is that you have "Sharped" C.

Hence, the name of this black note is "C Sharp." Now go to "G" and move up 1 "half step" to the nearest black key. The name of this black key is "G Sharp."

Whenever you see the symbol "#" on the staff next to a note, it means that the composer wants you to play a note that is 1 "half step" up from the note he or she has shown on the staff. Let's look at how that is written on the staff. Go to the next page.