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Key signatures
Hello guys! This month we will talk about building key
signatures. The key signatures shows us the tonality used in the song or
exercise transcribed. What defines the tonality of a scale are its sharps or
flats. The characteristic sharps or flats of each tonality are showed in the
key signatures. We will divide the different tones in two groups: the circle
of the fourths and circle of fifths. You can notice that each major tone has
a relative minor tone. It is possible to find the relative minor of a major
tone in its sixth degree, whereas the relative major of a minor tone is in
its third degree. For example: the relative minor tone of C major is A minor;
the relative major tone of E minor is G major. It is important to be careful
with enarmonization, especially in
tones that has many sharps and flats in its structure. The distance
between the relative tones must always be a third or a sixth, just like
already showed in the column about intervals. The key signatures of the minor tones are the same used ones
for its relative major tones,
even that the harmonic minor or the melodic minor scales are being
used. In these cases, the alterations proceeding from such scales must be
showed with ocurrent sharps or flats. For example: the key signature of B
minor is the same of D major,
and if the scale of B melodic minor is being used, the notes G# and A# will
not be part of the key signature. Thus, all the system becomes easy, what it
would not happen if we had a different type of key sifgnature for each minor
scale structure. Anyway, it is very important for any musician to know very
well and to establish easily logical relations between major and minor tones,
since the same ones will be always sufficiently useful, as well as we cited
in the column about intervals, at diverse moments: applying scales and
chords, building improvising, composition, arrangement, and others. In the
following examples show us the circles of fourths and fifths and its
respective tonalities. In the circle of fourths, the scales are formed with
flats, whereas in the circle of fifth they are formed with sharps. Circle of fourths
C major/ A minor F major / D minor Bb major / G minor Eb major / C minor Ab major / F minor Db major / Bb minor Gb major / Eb minor Cb major / Ab minor Circle of fifths
C
major/ A minor G
major/ E minor D major/ B minor A
major/ F# minor E
major/ C# minor B
major/ G# minor F#
major/ D# minor C# major/ A# minor The following example also can be interesting for a better view of the
major and minor tones in the circles os fourths ans fifths: Click
here to download all the examples Tip:
When the tonality is formed with flats(in the circle of fourths),
the tone is in the penultimate flat showed in that key signature.
The only example when this tip
doesn´t work is in the tones of F major and D minor, because
their key signature is formed with only one flat. When the scale is
formed with sharps(in the circle of fifths), the tone is a halftone
above the last sharp showed in the key signature. Another tip: doesn´t
matter how much sharps or flats you will find in akey signature , they will always appear
in the same order. The order of the flats will always be: B-E-A-D-G-C-F,
whereas the order of the sharps will always be: F-C-G-D-A-E-B. If
different orders of sharps and flats for each type of scale were used,
the toanl system would become a lot more complicated. From these initial
relations showed above, becomes very simple to extend the tips for
the relative minors of each tone. Doubts? Comments?Email at ivan@venegasmusic.com.
Hugs!
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