Major Scales and Key Signatures

 

All Major Scales are a series of notes consisting of one octave and having a specific pattern of Half Steps and Whole Steps.

 

                                   

         root                                                                                leading tone   (root)      

 

            1             2             3             4             5               6              7              8

                                                                                                                        (1)

                                                                                                          

                   W           W          H            W            W             W            H

 

 

 

 

Rule for Flat Keys – the name of the key is the second to last flat

 

Flats always come in the same order in the key signature:

 

            Bb        Eb        Ab       Db       Gb       Cb       Fb

  

    For example: Ab Major

                The name of the key is Ab

                The flats up to Ab are: Bb, Eb, Ab

                Add one more: Db

                The flats in Ab Major are: Bb, Eb, Ab, Db

                The notes in Ab Major are: Ab, Bb, C, Db, Eb, F, G, Ab

 

Rule for Sharp Keys – the leading tone is the last sharp

(leading tone = half step below the name of the key)

 

Sharps always come in the same order in the key signature:

 

            F#        C#       G#       D#       A#       E#        B#

 

    For example: E Major

                The name of the key is E

                The leading tone to E is D#

                The sharps up to D# are: F#, C#, G#, D#

                The sharps in E Major are: F#, C#, G#, D#

                The notes in E Major are: E, F#, G#, A, B, C#, D#, E

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