Key Signatures
Every major and minor key with its key signature — how many sharps or flats, exactly which ones, and the seven notes of the scale. Ordered around the circle of fifths.
| Major key | Relative minor | Signature | Sharps / flats | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | Am | none | — | C D E F G A B |
| G | Em | 1 sharp | F♯ | G A B C D E F♯ |
| D | Bm | 2 sharps | F♯ C♯ | D E F♯ G A B C♯ |
| A | F♯m | 3 sharps | F♯ C♯ G♯ | A B C♯ D E F♯ G♯ |
| E | C♯m | 4 sharps | F♯ C♯ G♯ D♯ | E F♯ G♯ A B C♯ D♯ |
| B | G♯m | 5 sharps | F♯ C♯ G♯ D♯ A♯ | B C♯ D♯ E F♯ G♯ A♯ |
| F♯ | D♯m | 6 sharps | F♯ C♯ G♯ D♯ A♯ E♯ | F♯ G♯ A♯ B C♯ D♯ F |
| D♭ | B♭m | 5 flats | B♭ E♭ A♭ D♭ G♭ | D♭ E♭ F G♭ A♭ B♭ C |
| A♭ | Fm | 4 flats | B♭ E♭ A♭ D♭ | A♭ B♭ C D♭ E♭ F G |
| E♭ | Cm | 3 flats | B♭ E♭ A♭ | E♭ F G A♭ B♭ C D |
| B♭ | Gm | 2 flats | B♭ E♭ | B♭ C D E♭ F G A |
| F | Dm | 1 flat | B♭ | F G A B♭ C D E |
Sharps are added in the order F–C–G–D–A–E–B; flats in reverse. See it laid out on the interactive circle of fifths. (G♭, C♯ and their enharmonic twins share the same keys.)
How to read this
Sharps and flats are always added in a fixed order:
sharps: F C G D A E B
flats: B E A D G C F (the reverse)Each step clockwise round the circle of fifths adds one sharp; each step anticlockwise adds one flat.
Notes & gotchas
- To name a sharp key, go one semitone above the last sharp. Three sharps ending on G♯ means A major.
- To name a flat key, take the second-to-last flat. Two flats (B♭, E♭) means B♭ major. F major is the exception you memorise.
- Relative minor sits three semitones below the major and shares the signature exactly — C major and A minor look identical on the page.
- Minor keys raise the seventh with accidentals, not in the signature, which is why harmonic minor never appears as a key signature.
- Enharmonic keys exist — F♯ major and G♭ major are the same pitches, spelled differently, with six sharps or six flats.