Score symbols are used in music notation to indicate the duration of a note or rest, as well as the pitch of a note. Sharps (6 letters) are symbols that raise the pitch of a note by a half step, while flats (5 letters) lower the pitch of a note by a half step. NOTES (5 letters) are symbols that indicate the duration of a sound, and rests (5 letters) are symbols that indicate the duration of a silence.