A key signature is the pattern of sharp, flat, or natural symbols placed together on the staff at the beginning of a piece of music, representing the composer’s set of instructions about the piece’s key, the notes that the musician needs to use to perform the piece. The key signature is made up of accidentals—sharps and flats—which are located to the right of the clef, and to the left of the time signature. The presence of a flat on the staff means that that note needs to be played flat whenever it appears in the music—at least until the composer shifts key signatures.

Key signatures have either flats or sharps—never both—and the number of sharps or flats only ever ranges from zero to seven. The keys of C Major and A Minor are keys which have no accidentals; C-Sharp major has seven sharps and C-Flat Major has seven flats. 

Key Signatures

Key Signatures

Major Minor

C - none A - none

Db - 5 flats Bb - 5 flats

D - 2 sharps B - 2 sharps

Eb - 3 flats C - 3 flats

E - 4 sharps C# - 4 sharps

F - 1 flat D - 1 flat

F# - 6 sharps D# - 6 sharps

Gb - 6 flats Eb - 6 flats

G - 1 sharp E - 1 sharp

Ab - 4 flats F - 4 flats

A - 3 sharps F# - 3 sharps

Bb - 2 flats G - 2 flats

B - 5 sharps G# - 5 sharps

Sources:

Cogswell A. 2002. Key signatures: do we teach them “backside-to-the-front”? American Music Teacher 52(3):39-40. Johnson CM. 2001. Functions of Number Theory in Music. The Mathematics Teacher 94(8):700-707.

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A key signature is the pattern of sharp, flat, or natural symbols placed together on the staff at the beginning of a piece of music, representing the composer’s set of instructions about the piece’s key, the notes that the musician needs to use to perform the piece. The key signature is made up of accidentals—sharps and flats—which are located to the right of the clef, and to the left of the time signature. The presence of a flat on the staff means that that note needs to be played flat whenever it appears in the music—at least until the composer shifts key signatures.

Key signatures have either flats or sharps—never both—and the number of sharps or flats only ever ranges from zero to seven. The keys of C Major and A Minor are keys which have no accidentals; C-Sharp major has seven sharps and C-Flat Major has seven flats. 

Key Signatures

Key Signatures

Major Minor

C - none A - none

Db - 5 flats Bb - 5 flats

D - 2 sharps B - 2 sharps

Eb - 3 flats C - 3 flats

E - 4 sharps C# - 4 sharps

F - 1 flat D - 1 flat

F# - 6 sharps D# - 6 sharps

Gb - 6 flats Eb - 6 flats

G - 1 sharp E - 1 sharp

Ab - 4 flats F - 4 flats

A - 3 sharps F# - 3 sharps

Bb - 2 flats G - 2 flats

B - 5 sharps G# - 5 sharps

Sources:

Cogswell A. 2002. Key signatures: do we teach them “backside-to-the-front”? American Music Teacher 52(3):39-40. Johnson CM. 2001. Functions of Number Theory in Music. The Mathematics Teacher 94(8):700-707.

Featured Video

What Are Keynotes and Tonics?

key signature

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Key Signature Tables

Five Positions of the Pentatonic Scale for Guitar

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Printable Piano Lesson Book

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A key signature is the pattern of sharp, flat, or natural symbols placed together on the staff at the beginning of a piece of music, representing the composer’s set of instructions about the piece’s key, the notes that the musician needs to use to perform the piece. The key signature is made up of accidentals—sharps and flats—which are located to the right of the clef, and to the left of the time signature. The presence of a flat on the staff means that that note needs to be played flat whenever it appears in the music—at least until the composer shifts key signatures.

Key signatures have either flats or sharps—never both—and the number of sharps or flats only ever ranges from zero to seven. The keys of C Major and A Minor are keys which have no accidentals; C-Sharp major has seven sharps and C-Flat Major has seven flats. 

Key Signatures

Key Signatures

Major Minor

C - none A - none

Db - 5 flats Bb - 5 flats

D - 2 sharps B - 2 sharps

Eb - 3 flats C - 3 flats

E - 4 sharps C# - 4 sharps

F - 1 flat D - 1 flat

F# - 6 sharps D# - 6 sharps

Gb - 6 flats Eb - 6 flats

G - 1 sharp E - 1 sharp

Ab - 4 flats F - 4 flats

A - 3 sharps F# - 3 sharps

Bb - 2 flats G - 2 flats

B - 5 sharps G# - 5 sharps

Sources:

Cogswell A. 2002. Key signatures: do we teach them “backside-to-the-front”? American Music Teacher 52(3):39-40. Johnson CM. 2001. Functions of Number Theory in Music. The Mathematics Teacher 94(8):700-707.

A key signature is the pattern of sharp, flat, or natural symbols placed together on the staff at the beginning of a piece of music, representing the composer’s set of instructions about the piece’s key, the notes that the musician needs to use to perform the piece. The key signature is made up of accidentals—sharps and flats—which are located to the right of the clef, and to the left of the time signature. The presence of a flat on the staff means that that note needs to be played flat whenever it appears in the music—at least until the composer shifts key signatures.

Key signatures have either flats or sharps—never both—and the number of sharps or flats only ever ranges from zero to seven. The keys of C Major and A Minor are keys which have no accidentals; C-Sharp major has seven sharps and C-Flat Major has seven flats. 

Key Signatures

Key Signatures

Major Minor

C - none A - none

Db - 5 flats Bb - 5 flats

D - 2 sharps B - 2 sharps

Eb - 3 flats C - 3 flats

E - 4 sharps C# - 4 sharps

F - 1 flat D - 1 flat

F# - 6 sharps D# - 6 sharps

Gb - 6 flats Eb - 6 flats

G - 1 sharp E - 1 sharp

Ab - 4 flats F - 4 flats

A - 3 sharps F# - 3 sharps

Bb - 2 flats G - 2 flats

B - 5 sharps G# - 5 sharps

Sources:

Cogswell A. 2002. Key signatures: do we teach them “backside-to-the-front”? American Music Teacher 52(3):39-40. Johnson CM. 2001. Functions of Number Theory in Music. The Mathematics Teacher 94(8):700-707.

Sources:

  • Cogswell A. 2002. Key signatures: do we teach them “backside-to-the-front”? American Music Teacher 52(3):39-40.
  • Johnson CM. 2001. Functions of Number Theory in Music. The Mathematics Teacher 94(8):700-707.

Featured Video

Featured Video

Featured Video

Featured Video

Featured Video

Featured Video

  • What Are Keynotes and Tonics?

  • key signature

  • Key Signatures and How to Read Them

  • Key Signature Tables

  • Five Positions of the Pentatonic Scale for Guitar

  • Symbols of Piano Music

  • Music Theory 101: Dotted Notes, Rests, Time Signatures

  • Pop Musicians Who Died in the 2000s

  • Natural Notes, Natural Signs and Accidentals in Music

  • The Double-Sharp in Music Notation

  • 8vb

  • Minor Piano Scales for Beginners

  • Counting Musical Sextuplets

  • rolled chord

  • Printable Piano Lesson Book

  • How Musical Measures Work

What Are Keynotes and Tonics?

What Are Keynotes and Tonics?

key signature

key signature

Key Signatures and How to Read Them

Key Signatures and How to Read Them

Key Signature Tables

Key Signature Tables

Five Positions of the Pentatonic Scale for Guitar

Five Positions of the Pentatonic Scale for Guitar

Symbols of Piano Music

Symbols of Piano Music

Music Theory 101: Dotted Notes, Rests, Time Signatures

Music Theory 101: Dotted Notes, Rests, Time Signatures

Pop Musicians Who Died in the 2000s

Pop Musicians Who Died in the 2000s

Natural Notes, Natural Signs and Accidentals in Music

Natural Notes, Natural Signs and Accidentals in Music

The Double-Sharp in Music Notation

The Double-Sharp in Music Notation

8vb

8vb

Minor Piano Scales for Beginners

Minor Piano Scales for Beginners

Counting Musical Sextuplets

Counting Musical Sextuplets

rolled chord

rolled chord

Printable Piano Lesson Book

Printable Piano Lesson Book

How Musical Measures Work

How Musical Measures Work

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LiveAbout is part of the Dotdash Meredith publishing family.

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When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. Cookies Settings Reject All Accept Cookies