A Trick to Remembering Key Signatures with Flats

The key signature says there are three flats, but what do I call it?

So a key signature tells you what scale the piece of music is based on. When there are two flats, you are in the key of B flat. But what about the key signatures with six flats or four flats? Here's a trick:

Battle Ends And Down Goes Charles' Father. This is the order of flats (Battle=B flat, Ends=E flat, A=A flat, etc.). You'll never see a B flat and a D flat by themselves in a key signature. The flats must come in the order of the B, E, A D, G, C, and F. 

To figure out what to call the key:

1. Look at the last flat in the key signature.
2. Now look at the flat that comes before it. This is the NAME  of the key you're in. Examples are below:

• If the flats were Battle Ends And. A flat is the last flat. The flat before A flat is E flat. You are playing in the key of E flat.
• If the flats were Battle Ends, E flat is the last flat. The flat before E flat is B flat. You are in the key of B flat.

The only exception is when there is only one flat Battle (B flat). There is no trick. You just have to memorize that B flat by itself means that you're in the Key of F. 

If the key signature has no flats or sharps, you are in the Key of C Major.

To work on key signature recognition, click here.

To read about key signatures with sharps click here.

||: Sing. Buzz. Play. :||

-Mr. B