An Easy Way to Identify the Key from the Key Signature

When you look at a piece of sheet music, you may not know what key the music is written in at first glance. Most people who play any music at all are aware that if there are no sharps or flats at the start of the music then it is written in the key of C. There still could be "accidental" sharps or flats in the music, but it is for the most part then in the key of C.

When a piece of music is in the key of F, the music will start with a Bb note indicated at the start of the music. This "signature" will have to be memorized.

So the key of C: C D EF G A BC
.... The key of F: F G ABb C D EF

NOTE: We call it a "signature" even though it is not like a persons signature it is a "musical signature'. In a manner of speaking the music composer has signed the manuscript with sharps and flats.

The key of D has two sharps; the key of A has 3 sharps, the key of 3 has 4 sharps, the key of b has 5 sharps, the key of f# has 6 sharps; the key of C# has 7 sharps. The composer writes the sharps on the staff in a very specific pattern. When properly written (signed) then the last sharp written can easily be used to identify the actual key. You must simply go one tone higher to identify the key.

The key of F you must remember has one flat; the key of Bb has two flats; the key of Eb has 3 flats; the key of Ab has 4 flats; the key of Db has 5 flats; the key of Gb has 6 flats; the key of Cb has 7 flats. The composer writes the flats on the staff in a very specific pattern. When properly written (signed) then the next to the last flat indicates the name of the key signature. (Except for the key of F mentioned earlier.)

The key signature helps musicians know what notes are going to be included in a typical scale for that particular key. The selection of a particular key might be based on the types of instruments used to play the music. Some instruments have a limited range of notes or simply may sound better in a certain key. If you use the graphic as your guide, then you would know how to properly write the key signatures for the different keys.

When music is played it can be changed into other keys through the process of "transposition". In this process all the notes are shifted equal amounts up or down the possible range of notes. Some computer programs can quickly change the key of a song and even write all the new notes on a properly constructed musical staff with correctly written key signatures.