How to read key signatures and accidentals
The sharps or flats right after the clef are the key signature. They hold for the whole piece and for every octave: if F has a sharp in the signature, every F you see is played as F sharp, on every line and in every bar.
Sharps and flats always come in the same order
Sharps: F C G D A E B. Flats: the same letters backwards, B E A D G C F. So a signature with 2 sharps is always F♯ and C♯, and you only need to count them.
Every signature
| Signature | Played sharp or flat | Major key | Minor key |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 sharp | F♯ | G major | E minor |
| 2 sharps | F♯ and C♯ | D major | B minor |
| 3 sharps | F♯, C♯ and G♯ | A major | F♯ minor |
| 4 sharps | F♯, C♯, G♯ and D♯ | E major | C♯ minor |
| 5 sharps | F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯ and A♯ | B major | G♯ minor |
| 6 sharps | F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯, A♯ and E♯ | F♯ major | D♯ minor |
| 7 sharps | F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯, A♯, E♯ and B♯ | C♯ major | A♯ minor |
| 1 flat | B♭ | F major | D minor |
| 2 flats | B♭ and E♭ | B♭ major | G minor |
| 3 flats | B♭, E♭ and A♭ | E♭ major | C minor |
| 4 flats | B♭, E♭, A♭ and D♭ | A♭ major | F minor |
| 5 flats | B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭ and G♭ | D♭ major | B♭ minor |
| 6 flats | B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭ and C♭ | G♭ major | E♭ minor |
| 7 flats | B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭, C♭ and F♭ | C♭ major | A♭ minor |
A signature fits a major and a minor key. To read the notes you don't need to know which: the same keys are sharp or flat.
Accidentals
A sharp, flat or natural written in front of one note is an accidental. It changes that note and any later note on the same line or space until the bar line, then the key signature takes over again. A natural cancels the signature’s sharp or flat on its line or space for the rest of that bar.
The trap
Forgetting the signature halfway down the page. Before you play, say the altered letters to yourself (“F and C are sharp”), and look for them on the first line of music.
Now read them. A drill of the 7 signatures and signs in this guide: play each card on a MIDI keyboard or the keys on screen as soon as you can read it. Every answer is timed and goes on your reading map.
Start the drillReady for real music? Level 2 pieces start in one hand position.