Musical Notation Question

[CrGuitar]

In every piece of music do you have indicate the key by placing the correct number of sharps or flats at the beginning of your music? Is this absolutely necessary? As well, what's the proper way to indicate a note has been "naturalized" eg ur playing in a key where G is sharped but for this particular bar/measure/piece u want to use a G natural.

[Mettra]

Well, lemme put it this way. You're making a piece of music in a particular key. You write in all the flats and sharps instead of notating the key signature at the beginning of each line. The Number of Universe is not going to divide by zero, and the apocalypse is not going to take place (necessarily), but it's always best to notate the key of your music by placing the flats/sharps at the beginning (in the very least).

Now, me, I would never ever ever ever do such a thing. As drum major of the band, that would be like burning a Bible or something.

Anyway, the point is - notate your keys. It will save you a lot of trouble. It will make much more sense to you after you have a good knowledge of keys. It will make musicians much happier.

Oh and the natural sign. Yes, there is one. It's very hard to describe, though. It like a very small diamond with one line coming up out of the top edge and another going down out of the bottom.

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Very hard to draw with text.

[CrGuitar]

I know about that sign but does it make the note it's applying to natural for the measure/bar or for the whole piece of music? Like if I'm playing in a key with F sharp and I use a natural sign on an F to indicate that F is being played as a natural, how long does it last? The entire measure? That's how I remember it anyway

[popmusic_sux]

i wont swear to it but ithink its just for that one particular note

[geffen]

no. it lasts until the end of the measure. if the note is tied at the end of the measure, the accidental stays until that note ends

[eische]

yupp, the dissolving-sign always lasts one measure, although sometimes in notation you see the note in the next mesure bearing a sharp/flat sign again... that's not a double-sharp/flat then (those look different), but it comes as a reminder that your back on the »normal« key-binding sharps and flats as notated at the beginning of the line...
...also on the first question, it's much easier if you write them one time at the front instead of everytime before the note that needs it - especially on the heavy-sign-bearing keys, like f minor for example...