Download Key Signatures - Anderson Music Room

Making Music Sound the Way It Does
•
Identified by a certain amount
of symbols on the staff.
•
# - sharp sign
•
•
- flat sign
•
•
Moves a note one half step
higher
Moves a note one half step lower
Key signatures ultimately
determine the “key” - or the
tonal center - of a piece of
music. The tonal center is
whatever the prominent note is
in the piece. (“Do” in the do,
re, mi scale)
What are Key
Signatures?
There is a specific order that the
sharps and flats appear on the staff.

BEADGCF
#
1st Flat on B, 2nd on E, 3rd on A...
1st Sharp on F, 2nd on C, 3rd on G...
Note: This order is ALWAYS the same

FOUR IMPORTANT RULES
FOR MAJOR KEY
SIGNATURES
1. No sharp or flat signs = C Major

C MAJOR
2. Sharp Key Signatures are Identified by
the Half Step Above the Final Sharp

F# to G
B# (or C)
to C#
G MAJOR
C-SHARP
MAJOR
3. One Flat Sign = F Major

F MAJOR
4. All Other Flat Key Signatures are
Identified by the Second to Last Flat
E

G
E-Flat Major
G-Flat Major
WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?

The key of a piece determines the scale that is
used. (i.e. Which notes are used to make the
song sound the way it does.)
We will see how key signature determines
the scale used next week!