A Complete Guide to Key Signatures
Key Signatures
Key signatures are fundamental elements in music theory, serving as a roadmap for musicians to navigate a piece of music.
When you open a piece of Western music, you will notice a group of sharps or flats after the clef sign and time signature at the beginning.
These groups of sharps or flats are what musicians refer to as the key signature.
It is a concept used in Western music to help musicians understand the group of notes, or key, that the piece of music uses.
Understanding key signatures is essential for interpreting and performing music accurately.
In this comprehensive guide, we will delve into the concept of key signatures, their significance, and how they shape the musical landscape.
What is a Key Signature?
A key signature is a visual symbol, printed on a musical staff, that provides crucial information about the key a section of music is written in.
These symbols, known as accidentals, include sharps and flats, and they guide musicians on which notes to play sharp, flat, or natural throughout the piece.
Furthermore, key signatures are musical notations that communicate the tonal center or key of a piece.
Consequently, they provide essential guidance for the musician to accurately interpret and play the music.
In the Chopin prelude above, every B, E, A, and D within the piece will be flat unless otherwise notated with accidentals. However, the notes in the A-Flat Major scale are Ab, Bb, C, Db, Eb, F, and G.
As a result, its key signature features four flats: B♭, E♭, A♭, and D♭, signifying A♭ (A flat) major.
Therefore, the key signature indicates that this piece is composed using the notes from the A-Flat (A♭) Major scale.
Keep in mind that the count of sharps or flats shown in the key signature aligns with the number of notes that receive a sharpened or flattened alteration within the arrangement of major or minor keys.
The Essence of Key Signatures
The majority of major and minor keys incorporate sharps or flats into their note sequences.
When a piece of music is written in a specific key, certain notes will consistently be either sharp or flat.
For instance, in the key of G major, the note F will always be sharped (notated as F#) throughout the entire piece.
Similarly, in the key of F major, the note B will always be flattened (notated as Bb) throughout the entire piece.
If we had to manually alter each of these notes every time they appeared, it would be a complex and confusing process, making it challenging to read music fluently.
To streamline the process, sharps or flats are clustered together and notated immediately after the clef at the start of each staff line.
For example, let’s consider the key of D major scale, which consists of the following notes D – E – F# – G – A – B – C# – D.
This scale is constructed using two sharp notes: C# and F#.
To prevent the constant sharpening of C and F notes throughout a piece, we mark a line or space for these notes with sharp symbols at the beginning of each staff line.
Instead of this:
With the key signature, we will have this:
Any additional sharps or flats that appear in a piece beyond those indicated in the key signature are referred to as accidentals.
These constitute the essence of the key signature.
It eliminates the necessity of placing a sharp or flat symbol before each altered note, making the sheet music more readable and minimizing the risk of mistakes.
Note
If a sharp or flat symbol is present on the line or space for C, F, and G in the key signature, all notes in the same pitch class as C, F, and G are affected.
So, all subsequent C’s, F’s, and G’s are played as sharps or flats unless otherwise noted as accidentals.
Types of Key Signatures
Key signatures come in two major types: sharp key signatures and flat key signatures.
These are determined by the notes that make up the entire scale. For example, E major has four sharp keys because its major scale includes F#, C#, G#, and D#. This is represented on a staff by placing a sharp (#) symbol on the F line, the C space, the G space, and the D line (as shown in the diagram below).
Similarly, B flat major has two flat keys because its major scale includes B♭ and E♭.
The key of B flat major is indicated on a staff by a flat (♭) symbol on the B line and the E spaces (as shown in the diagram above).
There are 15 major keys: seven with sharps, seven with flats, and one with neither, known as C major. This also applies to key signatures in music.
It’s worth noting that the key of C major and its relative minor, A minor, do not have any key signature symbols on the staff line.
Additionally, there are open key signatures, or atonal signatures, as well as percussion staff lines that do not have key signatures.
Atonal music breaks away from traditional tonality, meaning there is no clear tonal center or key.
Furthermore, certain instruments, like the horn or percussion, don’t adhere to traditional key signatures.
Instead, they rely on specific notation techniques. This allows for unique and specialized musical expressions, especially in ensembles where these instruments play a crucial role.
The Order of Sharps and Flats in Key Signatures
Key signatures rely on a specific arrangement and placement of sharps or flats on the musical staff.
This arrangement is closely tied to the progressive addition of sharps or flats in major and minor scales.
The systematic order of sharps and flats in key signatures is fundamental and vital for musicians to comprehend.
These sequences play a pivotal role in music notation by signifying which notes within a scale should be consistently raised or lowered in pitch throughout a musical composition.
Again, having a firm grasp of the order of sharps and flats is crucial for musicians.
The reason is that it empowers them to accurately interpret and perform musical pieces. This ensures that the correct notes are played, which, in turn, preserves the intended musical tonality.
Order of Sharp Key Signatures
When it comes to sharp key signatures, we derive the order of sharps from the first note of the upper tetrachord. Let’s begin with the C major scale, which has no sharps or flats in its key signature.
Starting with the tetrachord of C-major, which consists of the lower tetrachord (C, D, E, F) and the upper tetrachord (G, A, B, C), we proceed to build the scale, beginning with the first note of the upper tetrachord.
This leads us to G, which is the fifth scale degree of C major.
Following the major scale formula, the notes of the G major scale are G, A, B, C, D, E, and F#.
This introduces a single sharp note in G major, which is F#. Hence, the order of sharp key signatures starts with F#.
Comparing the two scales, we observe that the notes of the C major scale are (C, D, E, F, G, A, and B), while the G major scale includes (G, A, B, C, D, E, and F#).
These scales share six out of their seven pitch classes, making them closely related.
Continuing this pattern, if we initiate another major scale on the fifth scale degree of G major, we arrive at the D major scale with two sharp notes: F# and C#.
This sequence can be extended by creating a major scale on the fifth scale degree of D major, leading to the A major scale, which contains three sharps (F#, C#, and G#).
Consequently, the order of sharp key signatures is expanded in the following sequence: F#, C#, G#, D#, A#, E#, and B#.
Order of Flat Key Signatures
To determine flat key signatures, we follow a similar process using the tetrachord of a major or minor scale.
However, for the order of flats in a key signature, we focus on the last note of the lower tetrachord.
This is because the lower tetrachord of each scale becomes the upper tetrachord of the next closely related key when using flats.
In contrast to going up four steps from the tonic, as we do for sharp notes, we must now go down four steps from the tonic and start on the fourth scale degree.
This shift is noticeable when we observe the pattern of sharps and flats.
Let’s start by deriving the order of flats from the tetrachord of the C major scale. Remember, the C major scale has no sharps or flats in its composition.
From the tetrachord of C-major, with the lower tetrachord of (C, D, E, F) and the upper tetrachord of (G, A, B, C), we construct the next scale on F.
According to the standard major scale interval formula, the notes for the F major scale are F, G, A, B♭, C, D, and E.
In this case, we see that F begins on the fourth scale degree of C major and introduces one flat (B♭).
Now, let’s move on to the next step using B♭, the fourth scale degree of the F major scale.
Building the B♭ major scale, we get B♭, C, D, E♭, F, G, and A. Therefore, B♭ starts on the fourth scale degree of F major and includes two flats (B♭ and E♭).
If we were to continue this pattern, the next key would be E♭ major, characterized by three flats (B♭, E♭, and A♭).
In summary, the order of flats in key signatures progresses as follows: B♭-E♭-A♭-D♭-G♭-C♭-F♭.
How Do You Write a Key Signature?
In written music, the key signature is a vital notation that appears right after the clef and before the time signature.
It’s also found at the start of every piece of music, along with the clef.
The sharps are arranged in a specific order: F> C> G> D >A> E> B. Conversely, flats are written in the opposite order: B> E> A> D> G> C> F. Each sharp and flat corresponds to a specific octave in relation to the clef.
An easy way to remember the order of sharps is the mnemonic “Fast Cars Go Dangerously Around Every Bend,” representing F – C – G – D – A – E – B. We can also use this mnemonic to remember the order of the sharps easily: “Frank Can Go Down After Edward Brown.”
Meanwhile, the order of flats is the reverse: B – E – A – D – G – C – F. We can use the mnemonic to remember the order of the flats easily: “Be Easy And Don’t Go Crazy Folks.”
Endeavor to master how to write the given key signature correctly, and remember not to insert an accidental in the scale if the key signature has already been written.
Major Key with Sharp Key Signatures
A major key signature can contain up to seven sharps, following this sequence: F♯ C♯ G♯ D♯ A♯ E♯ B♯.
The sharp always follows a definite order, which is four notes down and five notes up.
Notice that in every key signature with sharp keys, it starts with F. Also, notice that each successive sharp is positioned slightly to the right of the previous one, either a fifth step above or a fourth step below.
In a major key, the tonic note is located one half-step above the last sharp in the signature.
For instance, in the key of E major, with a key signature of F♯ C♯ G♯ and D♯, the tonic (E) is one half-step higher than D♯.
As you move to the new scales, beginning on the fifth degree of the previous scale, one new sharp is added in the specified order.
The table below sets out all the sharp key signatures and the sharp notes they contain.
| Major key | Number of Sharps | Sharp notes |
| C major | 0 | – |
| G major | 1 | F♯ |
| D major | 2 | F♯, C♯ |
| A major | 3 | F♯, C♯, G♯ |
| E major | 4 | F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯ |
| B major | 5 | F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯, A♯ |
| F♯ major | 6 | F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯, A♯, E♯ |
| C♯ major | 7 | F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯, A♯, E♯, B♯ |
Note
- When a major key signature has zero sharp, it represents the C major key.
- When a major key signature has one sharp, it represents the G major key.
- When a major key signature has two sharps, it represents the D major key.
- When a major key signature has three sharps, it represents the A major key.
- When a major key signature has four sharps, it represents the E major key.
- When a major key signature has five sharps, it represents the B major key.
- When a major key signature has six sharps, it represents the F♯ major key.
- When a major key signature has seven sharps, it represents the C♯ major key.
Major Key with Flat Key Signatures
A major key signature can contain up to seven flats, following this sequence: B♭ E♭ A♭ D♭ G♭ C♭ F♭.
The flat always follows a definite order, which is five notes down and four notes up.
Notice that in every key signature with flat keys, it starts with B. Also, notice that each successive flat is positioned slightly to the right of the previous one, either a fourth step above or a fifth step below.
In major scales with flat key signatures, the tonic note in a major key is found a perfect fourth below the last flat.
When there are multiple flats, the tonic is the note before the last flat in the signature.
Take, for example, the major key with three flats (B♭ E♭ A♭); here, the second-to-last flat is E♭, indicating an E♭ major key.
Each subsequent scale begins a fifth below (or a fourth above) the previous one.
The table below sets out all the flat key signatures and the flat notes they contain.
| Major key | Number of Flats | Flat notes |
| C major | 0 | – |
| F major | 1 | B♭ |
| B♭ major | 2 | B♭, E♭ |
| E♭ major | 3 | B♭, E♭, A♭ |
| A♭ major | 4 | B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭ |
| D♭ major | 5 | B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭ |
| G♭ major | 6 | B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭, C♭ |
| C♭ major | 7 | B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭, C♭, F♭ |
Note
- When a major key signature has zero flat, it represents the C major key.
- When a major key signature has one flat, it represents the F major key.
- When a major key signature has two flats, it represents the B♭ major key.
- When a major key signature has three flats, it represents the E♭ major key.
- When a major key signature has four flats, it represents the A♭ major key.
- When a major key signature has five flats, it represents the D♭ major key.
- When a major key signature has six flats, it represents the G♭ major key.
- When a major key signature has seven flats, it represents the C♭ major key.
Minor Key Signatures
The key signature serves a dual purpose—it represents both major and minor keys.
Basically, there are three types of minor keys. However, when it comes to keys and key signatures, they are all labeled as “minor” (e.g., “G minor,” “A minor”), originating from the natural minor key.
These minor key signatures use the same sharps and flats as the diatonic minor key. So, minor keys can have either sharps or flats in their signatures.
It’s important to note that each minor key shares its key signature with a major key. This relationship is referred to as the “relative minor.”
The relative minor shares the same key signature as its corresponding major key.
Therefore, the most important step in understanding minor key signatures is to have a proper understanding of major key signatures!
Once you’re acquainted with major key signatures, it becomes much easier to determine the relative minor key signatures.
Generally, to find the relative minor of a major key, you look for its sixth note.
For instance, in the A major key (A-B-C#-D-E-F#-G#), the sixth note is F#.
This leads us to conclude that the relative minor of A major is F# minor. It also means that the key signature of A major is the same as the key signature of F# minor.
Similarly, in the C major key (C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C), the note in the sixth position is A.
This typically means that the relative minor of C major is A minor. So, A minor will use the same key signature as C major.
In music, the name of a key, like C major, signifies that C holds a pivotal role as the tonic or root note. Conversely, in A minor, which shares the same key signature (no sharps or flats), the focal or root note is A.
Minor Key Signature with Sharps
Major keys with sharp key signatures share key signatures with their corresponding relative minors.
This is typically the sixth note of the major key. Below is a table of minor key signatures with sharps.
| Major key | Relative Minor Key | Number of Sharps | Sharp notes |
| C major | A minor | 0 | – |
| G major | E minor | 1 | F♯ |
| D major | B minor | 2 | F♯, C♯ |
| A major | F♯ minor | 3 | F♯, C♯, G♯ |
| E major | C♯ minor | 4 | F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯ |
| B major | G♯ minor | 5 | F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯, A♯ |
| F♯ major | D♯ minor | 6 | F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯, A♯, E♯ |
| C♯ major | A♯ minor | 7 | F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯, A♯, E♯, B♯ |
Minor Key Signature with Flats
Major keys with flat key signatures share key signatures with their corresponding relative minors.
This is typically the sixth note of the major key. Below is a table of minor key signatures with flats.
| Major key | Minor key | Number of Flats | Flat notes |
| C major | A minor | 0 | – |
| F major | D minor | 1 | B♭ |
| B♭ major | G minor | 2 | B♭, E♭ |
| E♭ major | C minor | 3 | B♭, E♭, A♭ |
| A♭ major | F minor | 4 | B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭ |
| D♭ major | B♭ minor | 5 | B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭ |
| G♭ major | E♭ minor | 6 | B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭, C♭ |
| C♭ major | A♭ minor | 7 | B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭, C♭, F♭ |
Final Note
A key signature is a musical symbol that instructs musicians on which notes should be played as sharp (#) or flat (b) in a piece of music.
It is positioned at the beginning of a sheet of music, right after the clef and time signature.
There are two primary types of key signatures: sharp key signatures and flat key signatures.
Each key signature follows a specific order of sharps or flats. For example, the key of G major has one sharp, F#. Moving to the key of D major, it has two sharps, F# and C#.
This pattern continues as you progress through the keys. Similarly, flats also follow a specific order, commencing with Bb in the key of F major and incorporating more as you advance.
Understanding key signatures is crucial for musicians as it provides vital information about the notes to be played in a piece, thus helping to maintain the musical tonality and character.
Therefore, for a dedicated musician, it is imperative to commit these keys to memory and have the ability to recall them instantly.
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