Key Signature

Key Signature

A key signature is a group of sharps or flats at the beginning of the piece located after the treble or bass clef. These symbols could be confusing to interpret, especially in a sight-reading situation, so a system of ordering both sharps and flats was formed. The order of sharps is : F,C,G,D,A,E,B. The order of flats is : B,E,A,D,G,C,F. If we look at a piano keyboard the note C sharp for instance could also be D flat. This confusion is avoided by designating a key signature all sharp or all flat, a decision determined by the majority of accidentals in the key of the tune. [AW] {JO}