Key signatures

One of the easiest ways to figure out what key a song is in is by looking at the key signature. The key signature is found between the treble clef (or other clef) and the time signature.

The key signature tells you if there are any sharps or flats in the song. In the above picture there are 2 sharps, located on the lines of and !. Thus, for the entire song, all "s are played as # and all !"s as !#.

There are $2 different key signatures. %ach key signature corresponds to both a ma&or and a minor key. The 'ey of ! (a&or ( ) minor) has no sharps or flats in it. The other keys are listed below.

C Major (A Minor)

The Sharp Keys

G Major (E minor) D Major (B minor) A Major (F# minor)

E Major (C# minor)

B Major (G# Minor)

F# Minor (D# minor)

The Flat Keys

F Major (D minor) B Major (G minor) E Major (C minor)

A Major (F minor)

D Major (B Minor)

G Major (E minor)

Cir!le o" #ths

The !ir!le o" #ths sho$s the or%er in $hi!h sharps an% "lats are a%%e% to the &arious 'eys(

The 'ey o" C major has no sharps an% no "lats(

C Major (A Minor)

Ea!h 'ey to the right o" C major on the !ir!le o" #ths a%%s one sharp( The 'ey o" G major has ) sharp * F#( This means that all notes $ritten as F+s $ill e playe% as F#+s unless mar'e% $ith a natural sign( ,oti!e that in the 'ey signature the sharp is lo!ate% on the F line o" the sta""(((

G Major (E minor)

$ sharp * # The ne-t 'ey signature on the !ir!le o" #ths is D major( This 'ey has an F# as $ell as a C# (noti!e the sharps are pla!e% a!!or%ingly in the 'ey signature)( D Major (B minor)

2 sharps * #, !# For ea!h o" the su se.uent sharp 'eys/ an e-tra sharp is a%%e% "ollo$ing the or%er o" the !ir!le o" #ths( The sharp that gets a%%e% is one hal"0step lo$er than the root note o" the 'ey 00 F# to the 'ey o" G major/ C# to the 'ey o" D major/ G# to the 'ey o" A major an% so on( A Major (F# minor)

+ sharps , #, !#, -#

The other sharp 'eys ha&e 1/ # an% 2 sharps ((( E Major (C# minor) B Major (G# Minor) F# Minor (D# minor)

. sharps #,!#, -#, /#

0 sharps #,!#, -#, /#, )#

1 sharps #,!#, -#, /#2, )#, %#

Ea!h 'ey to the 3e"t o" C major on the !ir!le o" #ths a%%s one "lat( The 'ey o" F major has ) Flat * B ( This means that all notes $ritten as B+s $ill e playe% as B +s unless mar'e% $ith a natural sign( ,oti!e that in the 'ey signature the "lat is lo!ate% on the B line o" the sta""((( F major (% minor)

$ flat * 3b Going le"t/ the ne-t 'ey signature on the !ir!le o" #ths is B major( This 'ey has a B as $ell as an E (noti!e the sharps are pla!e% a!!or%ingly in the 'ey signature)( B Major (g minor)

2 flats * 3b and %b For ea!h o" the su se.uent "lat 'eys/ an e-tra "lat is a%%e% "ollo$ing the or%er o" the !ir!le o" #ths( The "lat that gets a%%e% !orrespon%s to the note that is "oun% to the le"t o" the root note on the !ir!le o" #ths 00 B "or the 'ey o" F major/ E "or the 'ey o" B major/ A to the 'ey o" E major an% so on(

E Major (! minor)

+ flats * 3b, %b, )b The other flat keys have ., 0, and 1 flats .... A Major (F minor) D Major (B Minor) G Major (E minor)

. flats * 3b, %b, )b, /b

0 flats * 3b, %b, )b, /b, -b

1 flats * 3b, %b, )b, /b, -b, !b