Finding Key Signatures
Major and minor keys that share the same signature are relative to each other; so C major is the relative major of A minor, and C minor is the relative minor of E♭ major. The relative major is a minor third above the tonic of the minor. For example, since the key signature of G major has one sharp (see major scales for how to find this), its relative minor, E minor, also has one sharp in its key signature.
Music may be written in an enharmonic scale (e.g. C♯ minor, which only has four sharps in its key signature, compared to the theoretical eight flats required for D♭ minor). The following are enharmonic equivalents:
| Key sig. | Major scale | Minor scale | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5♯/7♭ | B/C♭ major | g♯/a♭ minor | ||
| 6♯/6♭ | F♯/G♭ major | d♯/e♭ minor | ||
| 7♯/5♭ | C♯/D♭ major | a♯/b♭ minor |
Double sharps/double flats can be written as accidentals, but not as part of a key signature. For example:
D♭ minor key signature: E♭ + A♭ + D♭ + G♭ + C♭ + F♭ + B (the B is now double flatted and therefore, notated after the single accidentals, which obviously do not include the B♭)
D♭ natural minor = D♭ E♭ F♭ G♭ A♭ B C♭ D♭
D♭ melodic minor (ascending and descending) = D♭ E♭ F♭ G♭ A♭ B♭ C D♭ C♭ B A♭ G♭ F♭ E♭ D♭
D♭ harmonic minor = D♭ E♭ F♭ G♭ A♭ B C D♭
Read more about this topic: Minor Scale
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