key signature explained

theorykee SIG-nuh-churfrom English

The group of sharps or flats placed at the beginning of a staff to indicate the prevailing key of th‍‌‌‍‌‍‍‍‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‌‍‍‍‍‌‍‍‍‍‍e music

In Depth

Key signatures eliminate the need to write accidentals before every affected note.‍‌‌‍‌‍‍‍‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‌‍‍‍‍‌‍‍‍‍‍ Sharps and flats appear in a fixed order: sharps follow the pattern F-C-G-D-A-E-B; flats reverse it as B-E-A-D-G-C-F. The number of sharps or flats identifies both a major key and its relative minor: one sharp indicates G major or E minor, two flats indicate B♭ major or G minor, and so on through all twelve major and twelve minor keys. Key signatures change whenever the music modulates to a new key.

Did you know?

The mnemonic Father Charles Goes Down And Ends Battle gives the order of sharps, and reversing it gives the order of flats.

Related Terms

key sharp flat accidental major minor

More in Theory

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accidental

A sharp, flat, or natural sign that alters a note from the prevailing key signature.

accidentals explained

Symbols placed before notes to raise or lower their pitch by a semitone or return them to their natural state

acoustic

Relating to sound or the properties of sound, especially music produced without electronic amplification.

Aeolian mode

The natural minor scale, with the pattern W-H-W-W-H-W-W, producing the most common minor tonality in Western music.

aleatory

Music in which some element of the composition is left to chance or to the performer's discretion.

alto

The second-highest voice type, or an instrument pitched between soprano and tenor.

amplitude

The measure of a sound wave's intensity, perceived as loudness or volume.

anacrusis

One or more notes before the first full bar of a piece, also called a pickup or upbeat.

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