About this video
This lesson shows the fixed order in which sharps and flats are added to key signatures. Sharps are added in the order F, C, G, D, A, E, B and flats in the order B, E, A, D, G, C, F. Examples from Mozart and Tchaikovsky show how key signatures save writing many accidentals.
You'll be able to
- list the order of sharps: F, C, G, D, A, E, B.
- list the order of flats: B, E, A, D, G, C, F.
- work out which notes are sharp or flat from the number of sharps or flats in a key signature.
- explain why key signatures make music easier to read.
Key words
- key signature
- The sharps or flats at the start of a line that apply to those notes all through the piece.
- order of sharps
- The fixed order sharps are added in: F, C, G, D, A, E, B.
- order of flats
- The fixed order flats are added in: B, E, A, D, G, C, F.
- accidental
- A sharp, flat or natural written before a single note.
Transcript
- [Instructor] If we have music with two sharps in the key signature, those sharps are always F and C. Here is a minuet from Mozart's Posthorn Serenade. Notice the two sharps at the start of the movement. If we didn't have the two sharps at the start of the movement, look at all of the accidentals we would have to add.
By putting the F and C sharps at the beginning of the line, the music becomes much easier to read. ("Posthorn Serenade" by Mozart) If we have three sharps in the key signature, the three notes that are sharped are F, C and G. This is the pattern. One sharp is an F.
Two sharps, F and C. Three sharps, F, C and G. Four sharps, F, C, G, D. Five sharps, F, C, G, D, A. Six sharps, F, C, G, D, A, E. And seven sharps, F, C, G, D, A, E, B. With flats the pattern is one flat is always B as we've learned. Two flats, B and E. Three flats, B, E, A.
Four flats, B, E, A, D. Five flats, B, E, A, D, G. Six flats, B, E, A, D, G, C. And seven flats, B, E, A, D, G, C, and F. I will analyze all of this for you in future lessons. Look at the second movement of Tchaikovsky's 4th Symphony. Notice the five flats at the beginning of the line.
Look at all of the notes that are affected by those five flats being in the key signature. ("Symphony No. 4" by Tchaikovsky)
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