Lesson 8
Key signatures
The sharps or flats that apply for a whole piece.
Written once, used always
Instead of marking every F as sharp, a key signature puts the sharps or flats at the start of each staff. They apply to that letter in every octave until cancelled by a natural.
The order never changes
Sharps
F C G D A E B — Father Charles Goes Down And Ends Battle
Flats
B E A D G C F — Battle Ends And Down Goes Charles’ Father
A quick read for sharps: the key is a letter above the last sharp (last sharp is C♯ → the key is D). For flats: the key is the second-to-last flat (two flats, B♭ and E♭ → the key is B♭).