Lecture Notes: Key Signatures and Major Scales
Introduction
- The lecture is part of a series focusing on key concepts for music theory.
- Focus on key signatures, a foundational element learned in Theory 1.
Memorizing Key Signatures
- Mnemonic for Sharps: "Fast Cars Go Down Around Every Bend"
- F: Fast
- C: Cars
- G: Go
- D: Down
- A: Around
- E: Every
- B: Bend
- Order of Sharps in Key Signatures
- Example: G Major has one sharp (F#), D Major has two sharps (F#, C#).
- Finding Key using Sharps
- Go to the last sharp and move up one line or space.
- Example: For two sharps (F#, C#), the key is D Major.
Building Major Scales with Key Signatures
- Start on the note of the key and fill in notes up to the next octave.
- Example: D Major scale:
- D to E (whole step), E to F# (whole step), F# to G (half step), G to A (whole step), A to B (whole step), B to C# (whole step), C# to D (half step).
- Pattern: Whole, Whole, Half, Whole, Whole, Whole, Half
Memorizing Flat Key Signatures
- Mnemonic for Flats: Reverse the Sharps Mnemonic
- B: Bend
- E: Every
- A: Around
- D: Down
- G: Go
- C: Cars
- F: Fast
- Order of Flats in Key Signatures
- Example: E flat Major has three flats (Bâ™, Eâ™, Aâ™).
- Finding Key using Flats
- Use the second-to-last flat to determine the key.
- Example: For three flats (Bâ™, Eâ™, Aâ™), the key is E flat Major.
Building Major Scales with Flat Key Signatures
- Start on the note of the key and fill in notes up to the next octave.
- Example: E flat Major scale:
- Eâ™ to F (whole step), F to G (whole step), G to Aâ™ (half step), Aâ™ to Bâ™ (whole step), Bâ™ to C (whole step), C to D (whole step), D to Eâ™ (half step).
- Pattern remains: Whole, Whole, Half, Whole, Whole, Whole, Half
Conclusion
- Memorizing key signatures using the mnemonic aids in quickly identifying major keys and constructing scales.
- Understanding these basics is critical for progressing in music theory.
Study Tip: Practice by writing out scales and key signatures using the mnemonic to reinforce memory.