Learn The Key Signatures

Scales represent a specific pitch restriction centered around a fundamental or “tonic” pitch. 

Our most basic example is the Major Scale.

To construct the major scale, we use the following formula:

Root – WS – WS – HS – WS – WS – WS –HS (Root)

We can transpose these pitch restrictions to center around any fundamental from the 12 note chromatic scale – each tonic defines each new key.

Using this process, we can create twelve unique major “tonalities” called keys and even more if we include the enharmonic equivalents (15 Keys).

Continuously writing accidentals for many of these keys is clunky and difficult to read, so we use a system of key signatures as a simple way of knowing which pitches in the key are raised and lowered.

Think of the key signature as a shorthand to identify how the notes are organized around the tonic.

Remember, since the basis for Diatonic music is built around the perfect fifth, introducing one non-perfect fifth to a series of perfect fifths creates the major scale tonality. 

Because of this, key signatures follow a straightforward pattern that we use.

For now, we will only focus on the Major key signatures.

Starting at the top with the key of C major. Thus, the circle is split between the sharps (right side) and flats (left side) as we travel around it.

Major Keys That Use Sharps 

Let’s look at all the major keys that use sharps in their key signatures…

Notice the order of sharps: F – C – G – D – A – E – B

Major Keys That Use Flats

Let’s look at all the major keys that use flats in their key signatures…

Notice the order of flats: B – E – A – D – G – C – F

Tips for finding, remembering, and HEARING the major key signatures

Your goal for mastering the keys and their key signatures is to recall all key signatures from memory instantly.

You must also train your ear to HEAR the tonality of all these notes related to the tonic and each other.

When studying the consecutive key signatures, focus on which scale degree is changed between successive keys.

• When a new sharp is added, it raises the 7th scale degree in the new key.
• When a new flat is added, it lowers the 4th scale degree in the new key.

There are also two common tricks to find the major keys.

1. For any key signature with two or more flats, the name of the key is the second to last flat. For example, in a key signature with three flats, the three flats from left to right are B-flat, E-flat, and A-flat. The second to last flat is E-flat, so E-flat major is the major key tonality of this key signature.
2. For any sharp key signature, the name of the key is a half-step up from the last sharp. For example, in a key signature with three sharps, the sharps are F-sharp, C-sharp, and G-sharp. The last sharp is G-sharp, and a half step up from G-sharp is A. So A major is the major key tonality of this key signature.

Of course, the two exceptions are C major (no sharps or flats) or F major (one flat), but those two keys should be easy to remember.