Bb is the accidental that came before the last accidental that was added, so the root of our major scale is Bb: This only works once you have two or more flats, so you’ll still need to memorize the scales that use no flats (C major and A natural minor) and one flat (F major and D natural minor).įor example if we have two flats, the first will always be Bb, and the second will always be Eb. This time, the root of the major scale will always be the same as the accidental before the last one that was added. One step up from D# is E:Į is the root of the E major scale, which uses four sharps.Ī slightly different method is available for key signatures using flats. The last sharp added in the zig-zig pattern when we have four sharps will always be D#. Let’s do the same thing with four sharps. You can either memorize which scale uses a particular combination of sharps or flats by consistent identification, or you can use a mnemonic method to make things easier.įor sharps, one good method to help you figure out the scale of a key signature is to remember that the “root,” or bottom note, of the major scale is one line or space up from the last sharp that was added.įor example, the next sharp we add after F# is always C#, and the note one step up from C# is D:ĭ is the root of the D major scale, which uses two sharps. Accidentals should stay on or just outside the staff lines, so sometimes the pattern needs to be adjusted: Accidentals are added to key signatures in a mostly zig-zag pattern, going down a 4th interval and up a 5th interval when starting from one sharp, and doing the opposite (up a 4th and down a 5th) when starting from a single flat. There are a number of ways to use the key signature to identify keys/scales. Your scale options will be the two scales that use one flat: F major or D natural minor. Similarly, if you see a key signature with one flat, like this: The notes of either of these scales will be the primary ones you see in the piece (unless there is a key/scale change). Your scale options are the two scales that use one sharp: G major or E natural minor. The sharps and flats (accidentals) seen in a key signature are the same ones used in the major and natural minor scales.įor example, if you see a key signature with a single sharp, like this:
KEY SIGNATURE SERIES
If you’re interested in learning more, check out the first article in our more comprehensive, “Discovering Keys” series here.įor now, it’s easier to think of key signatures as representations of the main scale being used for a piece. The definition of a “key” in music is a much bigger topic, and involves more familiarity with music theory. Of the two of these, thinking of the scale is much easier. You can think of key signatures as indicating one of two very similar things: what “key” the piece is in, or what scale the piece is using. They appear after clefs, and before time signatures: Key signatures are collections of accidentals that show up at the beginnings of pieces and staff systems.
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