How to build an A-major scale
Find the sound "la" on the keyboard. Set aside a distance of 1 tone from this key. This will be the note "si". The next key, located at a distance of one tone from the "si", will be black - this is "c-sharp". Having completed the scale according to this scheme, you will get the following scale: la, si, c-sharp, re, mi, f-sharp, sol-sharp, la. You will get the same result by constructing a certain interval from each sound, that is, a large or small second. Between the sounds "la" and "si" - a big second, between "si" and "c-sharp" - too, but between "c-sharp" and "re" - a small second.Determination of the number of signs on the fourth-quint circle
It is very easy to determine the number of key signs using the circle of fifths. You can make it yourself. Sometimes it is drawn in the form of a spiral, but for a beginner it is enough to learn how to count only 12 keys, so it is easiest to imagine a fourth-quint circle in the form of a clock face. In place of the “12” mark, write “C-major”, aka C-dur. Sharp tonalities are arranged clockwise as the number of key characters increases, counterclockwise - flat keys, also as the number of characters increases. Count from the sound "to" a fifth up. This is the fifth degree of the C major key, that is, the sound "sol". Where the number "1" would be on the dial, write "G major" and put one sharp. In sheet music, it will be F-sharp. Where the number "2" is, write the name of the next key. To find it, count the fifth up again, but already from the sound "salt". This will be the "re" sound. Write the name of the key, put two sharps. You can designate them - F-sharp and C-sharp. Decide which key name will be in the third circle. Counting the fifth from the “re” key, you will get the sound “la”, and accordingly, the key will be A-major, in the Latin designation - A-dur. Accordingly, it contains F-sharp, C-sharp and D-sharp. In this way you can complete the first half of the circle of fourths.Other keys
As for the keys, the names of which will be located counterclockwise, you can also determine them yourself, only from the original sound you need to build up not a fifth, but a fourth. Delaying this interval from the sound "do", you get "fa", then "b-flat", "e-flat", etc. It is possible to determine the number of signs in another way, because the circle is called a quarto-quint for a reason. To find the next sharp key, you can count a fourth up, and a flat fifth down. Do not forget that in this case pure intervals are used, that is, a fourth is 2.5 tones, and a fifth is 3.5 tones.In general, the number of key characters and actually these characters themselves (sharps with flats) you just need to remember and just know. Sooner or later, they are automatically remembered - whether you like it or not. And at the initial stage, you can use a variety of cheat sheets. One of these solfeggio cheat sheets is a key thermometer.
I already talked about the thermometer of keys - you can read and see a chic colorful thermometer of keys. In the last article, I talked about how, using this scheme, you can easily determine signs in the keys of the same name (that is, those in which the tonic is the same, but the mode is different: for example, A major and A minor).
In addition, the thermometer is convenient in cases where you need to accurately and quickly determine: how many characters one key is removed from the other, how many characters the two keys differ.
Now I hasten to report that the thermometer found another practical use. If this very thermometer is slightly modernized, then it will become more visual and will begin to show not only how many signs are in, but also specifically, which signs are in that major and that minor. Now I'll explain everything.
An ordinary thermometer of tonalities: it will show a candy wrapper, but it will not give candy ...
In the picture you see a thermometer as it usually appears in a textbook: a “degree” scale with the number of characters, and keys are written next to it (major and its parallel minor - after all, they have the same number of sharps or flats).
How to use such a thermometer? If you know, then there are no problems: just look at the number of characters and count in order exactly as much as you need. For example, in A major there are three signs - three sharps: it is immediately clear that in A major F, C and G are sharp.
But if you haven’t remembered the rows of sharps and flats yet, then, needless to say, such a thermometer will not help you: it will show a candy wrapper (number of characters), but it won’t give candy (it won’t name specific sharps and flats).
New tone thermometer: distributes "sweets" just like Santa Claus
I decided to “stick” another scale to the scale with the number of characters, which would also name all the sharps and flats in their order. In the upper half of the degree scale, all sharps are highlighted in red - from 1 to 7 (fa to sol re la mi si), in the lower half, in blue, all flats are highlighted - also from 1 to 7 (simile la resol to fa) . In the center - "zero keys", that is, keys without key signs - this, as you know, is C major and A minor.
How to use? Very simple! Find the desired key: for example, F-sharp major. Then we count and call all the characters in a row, starting from zero, going up until we reach the mark that corresponds to the given key. That is, in this case, before we again return with our eyes to the already found F-sharp major, we will name in order all of its 6 sharps: fa, do, sol, re and la!
Or another example: you need to find signs in the key of A-flat major. We have this tonality among the “flat” ones - we find it and, starting from zero, going down, we call it all flats, and there are 4 of them: si, mi, la and re! Brilliant! =)
Yes, by the way, if you are already tired of using all sorts of cheat sheets, then you don’t have to use them, but read an article about that, after which you won’t forget the signs in keys, even if you specifically try to get them out of your head! Good luck!
It is known that there are 24 keys, according to the number of notes in the chromatic scale (12 major and 12 minor keys). Formally (by name) there are more of them, because all keys can be named enharmonically. For example, C sharp major can be written as D flat major, etc., or even D major can be thought of as C double sharp major, etc.
On Wikipedia, you can find a separate article for each tonality that is in any way used, with examples of works of academic music in this tonality, as well as indicating the number of characters in the key, parallel and enharmonic equal to the tonality.
The question arises as to how, in each specific case, it is more correct or more convenient to name or write down the tonality with signs at the key. For example, the key of C-sharp major will have seven sharps in the key, and the key of D-flat major will have five flats.
Some keys are unusable due to too many characters in the key. For example, the key of D-sharp major should have been written with nine characters at the key (two double-sharps, the rest sharp). Therefore, instead of it, E-flat major is used (three flats with a key).
There is a list of commonly used keys on Wikipedia, in almost every article on a particular key (there it is called "Neighboring Keys").
Keys with seven characters in the key are of little use, because. seven characters can always be replaced by five. For example, C sharp major (seven sharps in key) can be written as D flat major (five flats in key). Such keys (with seven signs) are mainly used only in special cycles for all keys, for example, "24 Preludes and Fugues", etc.
Keys with six clefs are enharmonic equal. For example, E-flat minor (six flats) is enharmonically equal to D-sharp minor (six sharps). Taking into account these pairs of keys that are practically used in music, it turns out 26, and taking into account the keys with seven signs - 30.
The only well-used major key with the word "sharp" is F-sharp major (six sharps at the key). The only well-used minor key with the word "flat" is E-flat minor (six flats at the key). Those. mostly with the word "sharp" minor keys are recorded, and with the word "flat" - major ones.
Now a little about the logic of "transitions" from one key to another according to the signs at the key and the like.
1) Parallel keys do not differ in signs.
2) Keys of the same name differ by three signs, and the major lies three signs "in the direction of sharps" from the minor. For example, E-minor - one sharp, E-major - four sharps. Or: F major - one flat, F minor - four flats. Or: D minor - one flat, D major - two sharps.
3) An "extra" sign at the key, appearing in the text as a random sign, may indicate the use of some modal scale. Sometimes such signs are even taken out to the key (although this is perhaps a controversial way of recording music).
Dorian mode - a step towards sharps from minor. For example, in Dorian Mi an "extra" C-sharp will appear, in Dorian D a B-becar will appear (a flat with the key "annihilated"), etc.
The Lydian mode is a step towards sharps from major. For example, si-bekar will appear in Lydian Fa.
The Phrygian mode is a step towards the flats from the minor. For example, E-flat will appear in Phrygian D.
The Mixolydian mode is a step towards flats from major. For example, B-flat will appear in Mixolydian C.
4) "Authentic" move with preservation of inclination is a step towards flats. For example, when moving from C major to F major, a B flat appears (the same is true when moving from A minor to D minor). A "plagal" move with preservation of the inclination is a step towards sharps.
5) A more-second move up while maintaining inclination is a two-digit step towards sharps (down - towards flats). For example, when moving from G major to A major, two sharps are added, and when moving from G minor to A minor, two flats are removed.
6) A few-second move up while maintaining inclination is a step of seven characters towards sharps (down - towards flats). Hence, for example, the unusability of the tonality of D-sharp major (in D major there are already two sharps, and in D-sharp major there should be nine).
For the convenience of finding the number of accidental signs in keys with more than seven characters, it is useful to remember that the sum of signs (sharps and flats) in enharmonic equal keys is always equal to 12:
- F-sharp major and G-flat major - 6# + 6b
- C-sharp major and D-flat major - 7# + 5b
- C flat major and B major - 7b + 5#
- G-sharp major and A-flat major - 8# + 4b
- F flat major and E major - 8b + 4#
Today you can find a large number of educational literature, which describes almost everything. If you decide to play classical music, then you will have to learn theory. This is necessary in order to be well oriented, be able to improvise and compose music.
With complete ignorance of music theory, it is best to start learning with intervals. Only after studying this section, you can start studying keys. There are 24 tones in total. Two of these keys do not have signs at the key, and the rest are characterized by the presence of sharps or flats.
What are the signs in D minor
D minor can be called one of the light keys, since it contains only 1 key sign - B-flat. It should also be remembered that all natural minor keys can acquire temporary signs. For example, in a harmonic minor, the 7th step of the scale will rise. If you project this rule to the key of D minor, then you get a C-sharp note. There is also a melodic form of the minor scale. In terms of sound, it will resemble major, but with minor changes. In a melodic minor, when moving up, steps 6 and 7 will rise, and down you will need to play or sing a natural minor (in writing, signs of increasing or decreasing notes are canceled by the becar).
Circle of Fifths, or how to learn to improvise
The definition of the name of keys by signs with a key is taught in music schools. You can learn the keys and key signs in them yourself, using the image of the fifth circle. It depicts tonalities depending on the degree of kinship. For example, at the top of the circle there are keys without signs, then there are keys with 1, 2, 3, etc. signs at the key. Sharp keys will be indicated on the right, and flat keys on the left. If you memorize the circle of fifths, then you can easily pick up an accompaniment to a melody, improvise, and also understand the key, in which there are a large number of characters in the key.
How to determine the tonality of a work by key signs
When learning an unfamiliar work, you first need to determine the key in which it is written. To do this, you should pay attention to the signs at the key. It is also necessary to take into account the end of the work, since the same key signs can be present in two keys - major or parallel minor. Only when these two factors are taken into account will you be able to accurately determine the tone of the piece.
It should be noted,
Greetings to all readers of our music blog! I have already said more than once in my articles that it is important for a good musician to have not only the technique of playing, but also to know the theoretical foundations of music. We already had an introductory article about. I highly recommend you read it carefully. And today the object of our conversation is signs in.
I want to remind you that the keys in music are major and minor. Major keys can be figuratively described as bright and positive, while minor keys are gloomy and sad. Each key has its own characteristic features in the form of a set of sharps or flats. They are called signs of tonality. They can also be called key signs in keys or signs with a key in keys, because before writing any notes and signs, you need to depict a treble or bass clef.
According to the presence of key signs, tonality can be divided into three groups: without signs, with sharps in the key, with flats in the key. It does not happen in music that sharps and flats at the same time will be signs in the same key.
And now I give you a list of keys and their corresponding key signs.
Tonality table
So, having carefully considered this list, it is necessary to note several important points.
In turn, one sharp or flat is added to the keys. Their addition is strictly stipulated. For sharps, the sequence is as follows: fa, do, sol, re, la, mi, si. And nothing else.
For flats, the chain looks like this: si, mi, la, re, sol, do, fa. Note that it is the reverse of the sharp sequence.
You probably noted the fact that the same number of characters have two tonalities. They're called . There is a separate detailed article about this on our website. I advise you to read it.
Definition of signs of tonality
Now comes the important point. We need to learn how to determine by the name of the tonality what key signs it has and how many of them. First of all, you need to remember that the signs are determined by major keys. This means that for minor keys, you will first have to find a parallel major key, and then proceed according to the general scheme.
If the name of a major (except for F major) does not mention signs at all, or only sharp is present (for example, F sharp major), then these are major keys with sharp signs. For F major, you need to remember that B flat is with the key. Next, we begin to list the sequence of sharps, which was defined above in the text. We need to stop the enumeration when the next note with a sharp is a note lower than the tonic of our major.
- For example, you need to determine the keys of A major. We list the sharp notes: F, C, G. G is one note lower than the tonic of A, therefore, the key of A major has three sharps (F, C, G).
For major flat keys, the rule is slightly different. We list the sequence of flats up to the note that follows the name of the tonic.
- For example, we have the key of A-flat major. We begin to list the flats: si, mi, la, re. Re is the next note after the name of the tonic (la). Therefore, there are four flats in the key of A-flat major.
fifth circle
Quint circle of keys- this is a graphic representation of the connections of different keys and the signs corresponding to them. It can be said that everything that I explained to you before is clearly present in this diagram.
In the circle of fifths table of keys, the original note or reference point is C major. Clockwise, sharp major keys depart from it, and counterclockwise, flat major keys. The interval between the nearest keys is the fifth. The diagram also shows parallel minor keys and signs. With each subsequent fifth, signs are added to us.
