Key signatures

The sharps or flats after the clef are the key signature. They apply to every note with that letter, in every octave, for the whole piece, unless the music says otherwise.

What it does

A key signature of one sharp on the F line means every F in the piece is played as F♯, not just the Fs on that line. A key signature saves writing the same sharp or flat hundreds of times. Forgetting it is one of the most common reading mistakes.

The order of sharps: F C G D A E B

Sharps always appear in the same order: F♯ C♯ G♯ D♯ A♯ E♯ B♯. A common memory aid is Father Charles Goes Down And Ends Battle. Two sharps are always F♯ and C♯; three are F♯, C♯ and G♯.

The order of flats: B E A D G C F

Flats are the same list backwards: B♭ E♭ A♭ D♭ G♭ C♭ F♭, or Battle Ends And Down Goes Charles's Father. The first four flats spell BEAD.

How to tell the key

• Sharps: the major key is one half step above the last sharp. Last sharp F♯, key of G major. Last sharp C♯, key of D major.
• Flats: the major key is the second-to-last flat. B♭ E♭ A♭ means E♭ major. One flat (B♭) is the exception to remember: F major.
• No sharps or flats: C major (or A minor).
• Minor keys share a key signature with the major key three half steps above. G major and E minor both have one sharp; the music itself (often the last bass note) tells you which.

Accidentals

A sharp, flat or natural written right next to a note is an accidental. It overrides the key signature for that note until the end of the bar. A natural sign (♮) cancels a sharp or flat. In the next bar, the key signature applies again.

Questions

Keep going

• How to remember note names
• Why you keep forgetting notes
• Alto and tenor clef notes
• Writing note names on sheet music
• Checking notes when practising alone
• Pieces with note names