Editing Flat (music) (section)

== Related symbols ==
A '''double flat''' (𝄫) lowers a note by two semitones (a whole step).
:<score>{ \omit Score.TimeSignature \relative c'' { beses1 } }</score>
A '''quarter-tone flat''', '''half flat''' or '''demiflat''' indicates the use of [[quarter tone]]s; it may be marked with various symbols including a flat with a slash ({{music|flatstroke}}), a flat with a 4 ({{vanchor|𝄳}}),{{cn|date=April 2025}} or a {{vanchor|reversed flat sign}} ({{music|d}}). A '''three-quarter-tone flat''', '''flat and a half''' or '''sesquiflat''' is represented by a demiflat and a whole flat ({{music|db}}). The symbols {{music|-}}, {{music|down}}, {{music|flatstroke}}, among others, represent [[comma (music)|''comma'']] flat or eighth-tone flat.{{efn|
The size of the lowering of pitch by a "comma" varies, depending on the tuning system; it is normally {{nobr|[[syntonic comma|{{sfrac| 21 | 1 | 2 }} cents]]}} but can vary between 20–25&nbsp;cents.
}}

:<score>{ \omit Score.TimeSignature \relative c'' { ceh1 deseh } }</score>
A '''triple flat''' (♭𝄫 or 𝄫♭) is very rare. As expected, it lowers a note by three semitones (a whole tone and semitone).<ref name=":0">
{{cite web |last=Byrd |first=Donald |date=October 2018 |title=Extremes of conventional music notation |url=https://homes.luddy.indiana.edu/donbyrd/CMNExtremes.htm |website=luddy.indiana.edu |publisher=[[Indiana University]] |place=Bloomington, IN}}
</ref> (For example, B♭𝄫 is [[enharmonic]] with A♭.)<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date= |title=B-triple-flat note |url=https://m.basicmusictheory.com/b-triple-flat-note |access-date=March 11, 2025}}</ref>
:<score>{
\omit Score.TimeSignature \relative c'' {
  \tweak Accidental.stencil #ly:text-interface::print \tweak Accidental.text \markup { \concat { \flat \doubleflat }}beses1
} }</score><ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />

While this system allows for higher multiples of flats, there are only a few examples of triple flats in the literature. However, '''quadruple flats''' or beyond may be required in some non-standard tuning systems such as [[53 equal temperament]]. A quadruple flat would be indicated by the symbol 𝄫𝄫.{{Citation needed|date=May 2025}}
:<score>{
\omit Score.TimeSignature \relative c'' {
  \tweak Accidental.stencil #ly:text-interface::print \tweak Accidental.text \markup { \concat { \doubleflat \doubleflat }}beses1
} }</score>{{Citation needed|date=May 2025}}