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All key signatures

We previously learnt about common key signatures and how the key signature specifies the key, the scale and the key note. This table shows all possible key signatures and the major and minor keys they specify: It also shows which sharps and flats are in each key signature: So, for example, the key of Ab major (the fourth row down) has four flats in its key signature, and they are Bb, Eb, Db and Ab; The key of C# minor (fourth row up from the bottom) has four sharps in its key signature, and they are F#, C#, G# and D#. This makes very clear the patterns that exist in the sharps and flats of the key signatures - see the "circle of fifths" below. Major scale/ Minor scale/ Sharps --> key note key note F C G D Cb Ab b b b b Gb Eb b b b Db Bb b b Ab F b Eb C Bb G F D C A G E # D B # # A F# # # # E C# # # # # B G# # # # # F# D# # # # # C# A# # # # # <--Flats A E B b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b

# # # # # #

As is clear from this table, the sharps or flats in a key signature are always written in the same order, working from the left in the examples below, and they are always written in these positions on each stave:

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sightsing.com All key signatures

http://neilhawes.com/sstheory/skeysig2.htm

The key signature is written at the start of every line of music, not just the first one. The order of notes in the list of sharps and flats is the same (circularly) as the list of key signatures themselves: C, G, D, A, E, B, F. They are all the same as in the circle below. The next note going clockwise is calculated by going up five notes (counting inclusively) This is the same as increasing the frequency by 1.5 (3/2).

Here is one explanation of why key signatures are needed, and what their purpose is: This might help you to understand the principles involved; But you don't need to know this to be able to sight-sing. To understand why a key signature specifies a key, and therefore why a key signature is necessary, we need to look again at the gaps between the notes of a major scale:

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8/11/2009 7:25 PM

sightsing.com All key signatures

http://neilhawes.com/sstheory/skeysig2.htm

From C to D is two semitones, from D to E is two semitones, but from E to F is only one semitone, and so on. So we can write a major scale as S2212221 where "S" means "Start note" and the numbers are the numbers of semitones that we ascend to get to the next note. Then if we start on the note D and try to make the same scale, with the same gaps ("intervals"), we get the notes D, E, F#, G, A, B, C#, D. So you can see that all F's and all C's have to be sharpened, hence we have a key signature of F# and C# You can perform the same exercise for any starting note, and you will end up with the table as above.

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8/11/2009 7:25 PM