Circle of Fifths - the Flats
| The key with 0 Flats (or Sharps) is C Major |
| All the white keys on a piano still make up the C Major Scale |
| C | D | E | F | G | A | B |
| There are NO Flats or Sharps in the key of C Major |
| (No black keys) |
 |
| KEY | Number of Flats |
| C | Zero! |
| F | One! |
| Bb | Two! |
| Eb | Three! |
| Ab | Four! |
| Db | Five! |
| Gb | Six! |
| Cb | Seven! |
And there you go. Just as easy as the Sharps!
However, READ ON, FRIEND!
| The key with 0 Flats (or Sharps) is C Major |
| All the white keys on a piano still make up the C Major Scale |
| C | D | E | F | G | A | B |
| There are NO Flats or Sharps in the key of C Major |
| (No black keys) |
| |
To find the KEY with ONE MORE FLAT than the key you are in... do this:
Count DOWN FIVE note names. (Flats go down. Sharps go up.) Example: The KEY that has ONE MORE Flat than C Major is... F Major
Key of C (1)
Key of B (2)
Key of A (3)
Key of G (4)
Key of F (5) ...add ONE FLAT to the key signature of this key,
which is F Major. So the Key of F Major has ONE FLAT as its Key Signature! Cool, huh?
Now, to find the KEY with ONE MORE FLAT than F Major:
Count DOWN five note names. Example: The KEY that has ONE MORE Flat than F Major is... Bb Major
Key of F (1)
Key of E (2)
Key of D (3)
Key of C (4)
Key of Bb (5) ...add ONE MORE FLAT to GET the key signature of this key, which is Bb Major.
So the Key of Bb Major has TWO FLATS as its Key Signature!
KEEP GOING! To find the KEY with ONE MORE FLAT than Bb Major:
Count DOWN five note names. Example: The KEY that has ONE MORE Flat than Bb Major is... Eb Major
Key of Bb (1)
Key of A (2)
Key of G (3)
Key of F (4)
Key of Eb (5) ...add ONE MORE FLAT to get the key signature of this key, which is Eb Major.
So the Key of Eb Major has THREE FLATS as its Key Signature!
See? OK, now, to find the KEY with ONE MORE FLAT than Eb Major:
Count DOWN five note names. Example: The KEY that has ONE MORE Flat than Eb Major is... Ab Major
Key of Eb (1)
Key of D (2)
Key of C (3)
Key of Bb (4)
Key of Ab (5) ...add ONE MORE FLAT to get the key signature of this key, which is Ab Major.
So the Key of Ab Major has FOUR FLATS as its Key Signature!
Now, same thing: to find the KEY with ONE MORE flat than Ab Major:
Count DOWN five note names. Example: The KEY that has ONE MORE Flat than Ab Major is... Db Major
Key of Ab (1)
Key of G (2)
Key of F (3)
Key of Eb (4)
Key of Db (5) ...add ONE MORE FLAT to get the key signature of this key, which is Db Major.
So the Key of Db Major has FIVE FLATS as its Key Signature!
Now, same thing: to find the KEY with ONE MORE FLAT than Db Major:
Count DOWN five note names. Example: The KEY that has ONE MORE Flat than Db Major is... Gb Major
Key of Db (1)
Key of C (2)
Key of Bb (3)
Key of Ab (4)
Key of Gb (5) ...add ONE MORE FLAT to get the key signature of this key, which is Gb Major.
So the Key of Gb Major has SIX FLATS as its Key Signature!
KEEP GOING! To find the KEY with ONE MORE FLAT than Gb Major:
Count DOWN five note names. Example: The KEY that has ONE MORE FLAT than Gb Major is... Cb Major
Key of Gb (1)
Key of F (2)
Key of Eb (3)
Key of Db (4)
Key of Cb (5) ...add ONE MORE FLAT to get the key signature of this key, which is Cb Major.
So the Key of Cb Major has SEVEN FLATS as its Key Signature!