If someone is singing badly we always say they’re flat, but at least some of the time (to my ear) they are actually singing sharp.
Why do we always say someone is singing flat, is it just convenient or is there a music theory reason for it?
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The simplest answer is the if you go a half step up from a note, it’s sharp. If you go a half step down, it’s flat. So the same note can be both sharp or flat, depending on what the intent was initially. Without knowing the intended note, it’s easiest to just say it’s flat.
This from a music adjacent person, I’ll let actual music people step in with a more detailed answer.
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