The main goal of key signatures is to help you play the nice sounds.
Music played in the major key usually evokes a feeling of joy or happiness.
Music played in the minor key usually evokes a feeling of sadness or melancholy.
Key signatures are generally used in a score to avoid the complication of having sharp or flat symbols on every instance of certain notes. Each major and minor key has an associated key signature that sharpens or flattens the notes which are used in its scale.
A key signature is generally written immediately after the clef and is a series of sharp (#) or flat symbols (b) placed on the staff, designating notes that are to be consistently played one semitone higher or lower than the equivalent natural notes unless otherwise altered with an accidental.
The accidental in front of the note-head holds true:
- for the line or space it is on
- until the next barline
- or until it is changed by another accidental
| Treble clef, major scale | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | Total number of sharps or flats (column 8 not counted) |
| C | C | D | E | F | G | A | B | C | 0
|
| G | G | A | B | C | D | E | F# | G | 1 sharp
 F# |
| D | D | E | F# | G | A | B | C# | D | 2 sharps
 F#,C# |
| A | A | B | C# | D | E | F# | G# | A | 3 sharps
 F#,C#,G# |
| E | E | F# | G# | A | B | C# | D# | E | 4 sharps
 F#,C#,G#,D# |
| B | B | C# | D# | E | F# | G# | A# | B | 5 sharps
 F#,C#,G#,D#,A# |
| F# | F# | G# | A# | B | C# | D# | (E#) | F# | 6 sharps
 F#,C#,G#,D#,A#,E# |
| C# | C# | D# | (E#) | F# | G# | A# | (B#) | C# | 7 sharps
 F#,C#,G#,D#,A#,E#,B# |
| F | F | G | A | Bb | C | D | E | F | 1 flat
 Bb |
| Bb | Bb | C | D | Eb | F | G | A | Bb | 2 flats
 Bb,Eb |
| Eb | Eb | F | G | Ab | Bb | C | D | Eb | 3 flats
 Bb,Eb,Ab |
| Ab | Ab | Bb | C | Db | Eb | F | G | Ab | 4 flats
 Bb,Eb,Ab,Db |
| Db | Db | Eb | F | Gb | Ab | Bb | C | Db | 5 flats
 Bb,Eb,Ab,Db,Gb |
| Gb | Gb | Ab | Bb | (Cb) | Db | Eb | F | Gb | 6 flats
 Bb,Eb,Ab,Db,Gb,Cb |
| Cb | Cb | Db | Eb | Fb | Gb | Ab | Bb | Cb | 7 flats
 Bb,Eb,Ab,Db,Gb,Cb,Fb |
- F# major contains "(E#)" which is really "F" key
- C# major contains "(E#)" which is really "F" key, "(B#)" which is really "C" key
- Gb major contains "(Cb)" which is really "B" key
To remember the key signature order for flats (b), use the following mnemonic:
BEAD Goes Completely Flat
To remember the key signature order for sharps (#), use the following mnemonic:
Fat Cats Go Down Alleys Eating Birds
The order of sharps is the reverse order of the flats, or vice versa, so you only have to memorize them one way.
Treble clef, natural minor scale (1½, 2½, 2)
| Treble clef, natural minor scale | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | Total number of sharps or flats (column 8 not counted) |
| A | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | A | 0
|
| E | E | F# | G | A | B | C | D | E | 1 sharp
F# |
| B | B | C# | D | E | F# | G | A | B | 2 sharps
F#,C# |
| F# | F# | G# | A | B | C# | D | E | F# | 3 sharps
F#,C#,G# |
| C# | C# | D# | E | F# | G# | A | B | C# | 4 sharps
F#,C#,G#,D# |
| G# | G# | A# | B | C# | D# | E | F# | G# | 5 sharps
F#,C#,G#,D#,A# |
| D# | D# | (E#) | F# | G# | A# | B | C# | D# | 6 sharps
F#,C#,G#,D#,A#,E# |
| A# | A# | (B#) | C# | D# | (E#) | F# | G# | A# | 7 sharps
F#,C#,G#,D#,A#,E#,B# |
| D | D | E | F | G | A | Bb | C | D | 1 flat
Bb |
| G | G | A | Bb | C | D | Eb | F | G | 2 flats
Bb,Eb |
| C | C | D | Eb | F | G | Ab | Bb | C | 3 flats
Bb,Eb,Ab |
| F | F | G | Ab | Bb | C | Db | Eb | F | 4 flats
Bb,Eb,Ab,Db |
| Bb | Bb | C | Db | Eb | F | Gb | Ab | Bb | 5 flats
Bb,Eb,Ab,Db,Gb |
| Eb | Eb | F | Gb | Ab | Bb | (Cb) | Db | Eb | 6 flats
Bb,Eb,Ab,Db,Gb,Cb |
| Ab | Ab | Bb | (Cb) | Db | Eb | (Fbb) | Gb | Ab | 7 flats
Bb,Eb,Ab,Db,Gb,Cb,Fb |
- Eb minor contains "(Cb)" which is really "B" key
- D# minor contains "(E#)" which is really "F" key
- Ab minor contains "(Cb)" which is really "B" key, "(Fb)" which is really "E" key
- A# minor contains "(B#)" which is really "C" key, "(E#)" which is really "F" key
To remember the key signature order for flats (b), use the following mnemonic:
BEAD Goes Completely Flat
To remember the key signature order for sharps (#), use the following mnemonic:
Fat Cats Go Down Alleys Eating Birds
The order of sharps is the reverse order of the flats, or vice versa, so you only have to memorize them one way.
Bass clef, major scale (2½, 3½)
| Bass clef, major scale | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | Total number of sharps or flats (column 8 not counted) |
| C | C | D | E | F | G | A | B | C | 0
|
| G | G | A | B | C | D | E | F# | G | 1 sharp
 F# |
| D | D | E | F# | G | A | B | C# | D | 2 sharps
 F#,C# |
| A | A | B | C# | D | E | F# | G# | A | 3 sharps
 F#,C#,G# |
| E | E | F# | G# | A | B | C# | D# | E | 4 sharps
 F#,C#,G#,D# |
| B | B | C# | D# | E | F# | G# | A# | B | 5 sharps
 F#,C#,G#,D#,A# |
| F# | F# | G# | A# | B | C# | D# | (E#) | F# | 6 sharps
 F#,C#,G#,D#,A#,E# |
| C# | C# | D# | (E#) | F# | G# | A# | (B#) | C# | 7 sharps
 F#,C#,G#,D#,A#,E#,B# |
| F | F | G | A | Bb | C | D | E | F | 1 flat
 Bb |
| Bb | Bb | C | D | Eb | F | G | A | Bb | 2 flats
 Bb,Eb |
| Eb | Eb | F | G | Ab | Bb | C | D | Eb | 3 flats
 Bb,Eb,Ab |
| Ab | Ab | Bb | C | Db | Eb | F | G | Ab | 4 flats
 Bb,Eb,Ab,Db |
| Db | Db | Eb | F | Gb | Ab | Bb | C | Db | 5 flats
 Bb,Eb,Ab,Db,Gb |
| Gb | Gb | Ab | Bb | (Cb) | Db | Eb | F | Gb | 6 flats
 Bb,Eb,Ab,Db,Gb,Cb |
| Cb | Cb | Db | Eb | Fb | Gb | Ab | Bb | Cb | 7 flats
 Bb,Eb,Ab,Db,Gb,Cb,Fb |
- F# major contains "(E#)" which is really "F" key
- C# major contains "(E#)" which is really "F" key, "(B#)" which is really "C" key
- Gb major contains "(Cb)" which is really "B" key
To remember the key signature order for flats (b), use the following mnemonic:
BEAD Goes Completely Flat
To remember the key signature order for sharps (#), use the following mnemonic:
Fat Cats Go Down Alleys Eating Birds
The order of sharps is the reverse order of the flats, or vice versa, so you only have to memorize them one way.
Bass clef, natural minor scale (1½, 2½, 2)
| Bass clef, natural minor scale | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | Total number of sharps or flats (column 8 not counted) |
| A | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | A | 0
|
| E | E | F# | G | A | B | C | D | E | 1 sharp
F# |
| B | B | C# | D | E | F# | G | A | B | 2 sharps
F#,C# |
| F# | F# | G# | A | B | C# | D | E | F# | 3 sharps
F#,C#,G# |
| C# | C# | D# | E | F# | G# | A | B | C# | 4 sharps
F#,C#,G#,D# |
| G# | G# | A# | B | C# | D# | E | F# | G# | 5 sharps
F#,C#,G#,D#,A# |
| D# | D# | (E#) | F# | G# | A# | B | C# | D# | 6 sharps
F#,C#,G#,D#,A#,E# |
| A# | A# | (B#) | C# | D# | (E#) | F# | G# | A# | 7 sharps
F#,C#,G#,D#,A#,E#,B# |
| D | D | E | F | G | A | Bb | C | D | 1 flat
Bb |
| G | G | A | Bb | C | D | Eb | F | G | 2 flats
Bb,Eb |
| C | C | D | Eb | F | G | Ab | Bb | C | 3 flats
Bb,Eb,Ab |
| F | F | G | Ab | Bb | C | Db | Eb | F | 4 flats
Bb,Eb,Ab,Db |
| Bb | Bb | C | Db | Eb | F | Gb | Ab | Bb | 5 flats
Bb,Eb,Ab,Db,Gb |
| Eb | Eb | F | Gb | Ab | Bb | (Cb) | Db | Eb | 6 flats
Bb,Eb,Ab,Db,Gb,Cb |
| Ab | Ab | Bb | (Cb) | Db | Eb | (Fbb) | Gb | Ab | 7 flats
Bb,Eb,Ab,Db,Gb,Cb,Fb |
- Eb minor contains "(Cb)" which is really "B" key
- D# minor contains "(E#)" which is really "F" key
- Ab minor contains "(Cb)" which is really "B" key, "(Fb)" which is really "E" key
- A# minor contains "(B#)" which is really "C" key, "(E#)" which is really "F" key
To remember the key signature order for flats (b), use the following mnemonic:
BEAD Goes Completely Flat
To remember the key signature order for sharps (#), use the following mnemonic:
Fat Cats Go Down Alleys Eating Birds
The order of sharps is the reverse order of the flats, or vice versa, so you only have to memorize them one way.
Alto clef, major scale (2½, 3½)
| Alto clef, major scale | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | Total number of sharps or flats (column 8 not counted) |
| C | C | D | E | F | G | A | B | C | 0
|
| G | G | A | B | C | D | E | F# | G | 1 sharp
 F# |
| D | D | E | F# | G | A | B | C# | D | 2 sharps
 F#,C# |
| A | A | B | C# | D | E | F# | G# | A | 3 sharps
 F#,C#,G# |
| E | E | F# | G# | A | B | C# | D# | E | 4 sharps
 F#,C#,G#,D# |
| B | B | C# | D# | E | F# | G# | A# | B | 5 sharps
 F#,C#,G#,D#,A# |
| F# | F# | G# | A# | B | C# | D# | (E#) | F# | 6 sharps
 F#,C#,G#,D#,A#,E# |
| C# | C# | D# | (E#) | F# | G# | A# | (B#) | C# | 7 sharps
 F#,C#,G#,D#,A#,E#,B# |
| F | F | G | A | Bb | C | D | E | F | 1 flat
 Bb |
| Bb | Bb | C | D | Eb | F | G | A | Bb | 2 flats
 Bb,Eb |
| Eb | Eb | F | G | Ab | Bb | C | D | Eb | 3 flats
 Bb,Eb,Ab |
| Ab | Ab | Bb | C | Db | Eb | F | G | Ab | 4 flats
 Bb,Eb,Ab,Db |
| Db | Db | Eb | F | Gb | Ab | Bb | C | Db | 5 flats
 Bb,Eb,Ab,Db,Gb |
| Gb | Gb | Ab | Bb | (Cb) | Db | Eb | F | Gb | 6 flats
 Bb,Eb,Ab,Db,Gb,Cb |
| Cb | Cb | Db | Eb | Fb | Gb | Ab | Bb | Cb | 7 flats
 Bb,Eb,Ab,Db,Gb,Cb,Fb |
- F# major contains "(E#)" which is really "F" key
- C# major contains "(E#)" which is really "F" key, "(B#)" which is really "C" key
- Gb major contains "(Cb)" which is really "B" key
To remember the key signature order for flats (b), use the following mnemonic:
BEAD Goes Completely Flat
To remember the key signature order for sharps (#), use the following mnemonic:
Fat Cats Go Down Alleys Eating Birds
The order of sharps is the reverse order of the flats, or vice versa, so you only have to memorize them one way.
Alto clef, natural minor scale (1½, 2½, 2)
| Alto clef, natural minor scale | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | Total number of sharps or flats (column 8 not counted) |
| A | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | A | 0
|
| E | E | F# | G | A | B | C | D | E | 1 sharp
F# |
| B | B | C# | D | E | F# | G | A | B | 2 sharps
F#,C# |
| F# | F# | G# | A | B | C# | D | E | F# | 3 sharps
F#,C#,G# |
| C# | C# | D# | E | F# | G# | A | B | C# | 4 sharps
F#,C#,G#,D# |
| G# | G# | A# | B | C# | D# | E | F# | G# | 5 sharps
F#,C#,G#,D#,A# |
| D# | D# | (E#) | F# | G# | A# | B | C# | D# | 6 sharps
F#,C#,G#,D#,A#,E# |
| A# | A# | (B#) | C# | D# | (E#) | F# | G# | A# | 7 sharps
F#,C#,G#,D#,A#,E#,B# |
| D | D | E | F | G | A | Bb | C | D | 1 flat
Bb |
| G | G | A | Bb | C | D | Eb | F | G | 2 flats
Bb,Eb |
| C | C | D | Eb | F | G | Ab | Bb | C | 3 flats
Bb,Eb,Ab |
| F | F | G | Ab | Bb | C | Db | Eb | F | 4 flats
Bb,Eb,Ab,Db |
| Bb | Bb | C | Db | Eb | F | Gb | Ab | Bb | 5 flats
Bb,Eb,Ab,Db,Gb |
| Eb | Eb | F | Gb | Ab | Bb | (Cb) | Db | Eb | 6 flats
Bb,Eb,Ab,Db,Gb,Cb |
| Ab | Ab | Bb | (Cb) | Db | Eb | (Fbb) | Gb | Ab | 7 flats
Bb,Eb,Ab,Db,Gb,Cb,Fb |
- Eb minor contains "(Cb)" which is really "B" key
- D# minor contains "(E#)" which is really "F" key
- Ab minor contains "(Cb)" which is really "B" key, "(Fb)" which is really "E" key
- A# minor contains "(B#)" which is really "C" key, "(E#)" which is really "F" key
To remember the key signature order for flats (b), use the following mnemonic:
BEAD Goes Completely Flat
To remember the key signature order for sharps (#), use the following mnemonic:
Fat Cats Go Down Alleys Eating Birds
The order of sharps is the reverse order of the flats, or vice versa, so you only have to memorize them one way.
Additional information:
Here below a grand staff (combines bass and treble staffs into one system) to help you find the notes which should be sharpened or flattened.
The major scale (2½, 3½) consists of 2 tones, followed by a semitone (½), then 3 tones followed by a semitone (½).
The natural minor scale 1½, 2½, 2) consists of 1 tone, followed by a semitone (½), then 2 tones followed by a semitone (½), then 2 tones.
What is tone and semitone:
- The interval between C and D is a tone (1).
- The interval between D and E is a tone (1).
- The interval between E and F is a semitone (½).
- The interval between F and G is a tone (1).
- The interval between G and A is a tone (1).
- The interval between A and B is a tone (1).
- The interval between B and C is a semitone (½).
- The interval between C and C# is a semitone (½).
- The interval between D and D# is a semitone (½).
- The interval between F and F# is a semitone (½).
- The interval between G and G# is a semitone (½).
- The interval between A and A# is a semitone (½).
- The interval between D and Db is a semitone (½).
- The interval between E and Eb is a semitone (½).
- The interval between G and Gb is a semitone (½).
- The interval between A and Ab is a semitone (½).
- The interval between B and Bb is a semitone (½).