Post by Deleted on Dec 16, 2006 20:00:54 GMT -5
To whom it may concern,
One of the more difficult things to learn for some guitar players are key signatures (BTW, guitar players are the worst in learning and knowing them
). Here is a little 'trick' which has helped me not only remembering how many flats and sharps are in each key, but also of how to incorporate scale playing, the flexibility and quickness playing them and learning to get around the fretboard in general.
The basic concept is to play scales on one string.
Of course, you must know which notes in each key are flat and sharp. To study this you must understand descending fifths and ascending fifths, which will determine the keys and their number of flats or sharps.
Here we go:
Read all the proper key signatures with all the keys with their flats and sharps (don't get intimidated, it's all relative
) starting from the key of C in either direction.
Key of B major up a fifth is the key of F# major (six sharps - notes F# C# G# D# A# & E#)
Key of E major up a fifth is the key of B major (five sharps - notes F# C# G# D# & A#)
Key of A major up a fifth is the key of E major (four sharps - notes F# C# G# & D#)
Key of D major up a fifth is the key of A major (three sharps - notes F# C# & G#)
Key of G major up a fifth is the key of D major (two sharps - notes F# & C#)
Key of C major up a fifth the key of G major (one sharp - note F#)
Key of C major down a fifth is the key of F major (one flat - note Bb)
Key of F major down a fifth is the key of Bb major (two flats - notes Bb & Eb)
Key of Bb major down a fifth is the key of Eb major (three flats - notes Bb Eb & Ab)
Key of Eb major down a fifth is the key of Ab major (four flats - notes Bb Eb Ab & Db)
Key of Ab major down a fifth is the key of Db major (five flats - notes Bb Eb Ab Db & Gb)
Key of Db major down a fifth is the key of Gb major (six flats - notes Bb Eb Ab Db Gb & Cb)
Interesting point to note here, notice that each key change involves flattening the major 7th in all descending keys (keys with flats) and raising the major 4th in all ascending keys (keys with sharps).
One of the more difficult things to learn for some guitar players are key signatures (BTW, guitar players are the worst in learning and knowing them
). Here is a little 'trick' which has helped me not only remembering how many flats and sharps are in each key, but also of how to incorporate scale playing, the flexibility and quickness playing them and learning to get around the fretboard in general.The basic concept is to play scales on one string.
Of course, you must know which notes in each key are flat and sharp. To study this you must understand descending fifths and ascending fifths, which will determine the keys and their number of flats or sharps.
Here we go:
Read all the proper key signatures with all the keys with their flats and sharps (don't get intimidated, it's all relative
) starting from the key of C in either direction.Key of B major up a fifth is the key of F# major (six sharps - notes F# C# G# D# A# & E#)
Key of E major up a fifth is the key of B major (five sharps - notes F# C# G# D# & A#)
Key of A major up a fifth is the key of E major (four sharps - notes F# C# G# & D#)
Key of D major up a fifth is the key of A major (three sharps - notes F# C# & G#)
Key of G major up a fifth is the key of D major (two sharps - notes F# & C#)
Key of C major up a fifth the key of G major (one sharp - note F#)
Key of C major down a fifth is the key of F major (one flat - note Bb)
Key of F major down a fifth is the key of Bb major (two flats - notes Bb & Eb)
Key of Bb major down a fifth is the key of Eb major (three flats - notes Bb Eb & Ab)
Key of Eb major down a fifth is the key of Ab major (four flats - notes Bb Eb Ab & Db)
Key of Ab major down a fifth is the key of Db major (five flats - notes Bb Eb Ab Db & Gb)
Key of Db major down a fifth is the key of Gb major (six flats - notes Bb Eb Ab Db Gb & Cb)
Interesting point to note here, notice that each key change involves flattening the major 7th in all descending keys (keys with flats) and raising the major 4th in all ascending keys (keys with sharps).
