This can become complicated when notes are already a half step apart (E&F or B&C). For example, B-flat could also be written as A-sharp. This means that some notes will sound the same but can be written in different ways. You might recall that sharp accidentals raise a note by a half step and flat accidentals lower the pitch by a half step. Here is what key signatures with sharps look like across different clefs.Īnd here is what key signatures with flats look like across different clefs. Minor keys are always written in lower case. You will notice, when you write Major keys, you write the letter as a capital letter. We show names in both the Major key and minor key.

Flats are written in this order: B, E, A, D, G, C, F Sharps are written in this order: F, C, G, D, A, E, B All the Key Signaturesīelow is a table that will let you know how many accidentals (sharps or flats) each key signature has. That means this key signature has two sharps: F-sharp and C-sharp.Īccidentals in the key signature are always written in the same order. Look below and you will see a sharp symbol on the F staff line and the C staff line. Accidentals in the key signature always live on the staff line of the note they affect. You will find it right next to the clef symbol at the beginning of the staff. It means that you play the pitch without modification.Ī key signature will only contain one kind of accidentals, either sharps or flats, but never both. This symbol means you raise the pitch by a half step. When you see it, you lower the pitch by a half step. These accidentals apply throughout the entirety of the piece unless otherwise noted either by a new key signature (called a key change) or with new accidentals attached to a note (one-off flat, sharp, or natural signs.) A flat sign looks like this: A key signature is a collection of accidentals (sharp and flat symbols) that let you know what key a piece of music is in.

Flat symbol in music