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Key Signature Chart

theory

This free downloadable Key Signature Chart is designed to help you learn all the key signatures easily. It's written in order of increasing sharps and flats.

Is it really necessary to learn all the key signatures?

In a word, yes. But fortunately, it’s not too difficult. All you really need to learn is the order of sharps and flats.

It also helps to familiarize yourself with the Circle of Fifths. Each sharp or flat in a key signature is a fifth away from the last, just like the keys in the Circle of Fifths.

The order of sharps, which go clockwise along the Circle of Fifths, is:

F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯, A♯, E♯, B♯

The order of flats, which go counterclockwise along the Circle of Fifths, is:

B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭, C♭, F♭

Notice any pattern? The flats are just like the sharps, only in reverse order!

As you study the Key Signature Chart, you'll quickly learn its patterns. The right column shows the accidentals (sharps or flats): Notice how each sharp is always a fifth above the last (G-sharp, D-sharp, A-sharp...) and each flat is always a fifth below the previous one (B-flat, E-flat, A-flat...).

In addition to the online chart on this page, here’s a beautiful printable version of the Key Signature Chart, available for free download. Simply click this link to view the printable chart, or right-click and select "Save" to save it to your computer.

Sharps

Key Signature Keys Accidentals
C major / A minor (none)
G major / E minor F♯
D major / B minor F♯, C♯
A major / F-sharp minor F♯, C♯, G♯
E major / C-sharp minor F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯
B major / G-sharp minor F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯, A♯
F-sharp major / D-sharp minor F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯, A♯, E♯
C-sharp major / A-sharp minor F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯, A♯, E♯, B♯

 

Flats

Key Signature Keys Accidentals
C major / A minor (none)
F major / D minor B♭
B-flat major / G minor B♭, E♭
E-flat major / C minor B♭, E♭, A♭
A-flat major / F minor B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭
D-flat major / B-flat minor B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭
G-flat major / E-flat minor B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭, C♭
C-flat major / A-flat minor B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭, C♭, F♭

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