Key Signatures with Numbers of Sharps and Flats

Numbers of sharps and flats in each major and minor key signatures. |PLEASE NOTE:| The questioning format for this flash card set has a special way of answering the questions. So if it’s asking to identify a Major key signature, you’ll answer using one of the definitions that identifies the sharps THEN the flats of that key. If you have to identify a minor key signature, you’ll need to answer with a definition that starts with the flats THEN sharps of the key. I did this because one of each major and minor key share the same amount of flats or sharps. Which means if the definitions are the same for two different terms, you might pick the “wrong” definition even though it’s the correct one. It’s just not the one that was written for the definition you were prompted to define. So to keep from being counted wrong on a question that you answered correctly, remember the order! |So to recap: If it’s a major key - sharps first | If it’s a minor key - flats first | They’re all the same definitions, just different wording depending on if it’s in a Major or minor key.

C Major

No sharps or flats.

A minor

No flats or sharps.

G Major

1 sharp, no flats. F#

E minor

No flats, 1 sharp. F#

D Major

2 sharps, no flats. F#, C#

B minor

No flats, 2 sharps. F#, C#

A Major

3 sharps, no flats. F#, C#, G#

F# minor

No flats, 3 sharps. F#, C#, G#

E Major

4 sharps, no flats. F#, C#, G#, D#

C# minor

No flats, 4 sharps. F#, C#, G#, D#

B Major

5 sharps, no flats. F#, C#, G#, D#, A#

G# minor

No flats, 5 sharps. F#, C#, G#, D#, A#

F# Major

6 sharps, no flats. F#, C#, G#, D#, A#, E#

D# minor

No flats, 6 sharps. F#, C#, G#, D#, A#, E#

C# Major

7 sharps, no flats. F#, C#, G#, D#, A#, E#, B#

A# minor

No flats, 7 sharps. F#, C#, G#, D#, A#, E#, B#

F Major

No sharps, 1 flat. Bb

D minor

1 flat, no sharps. Bb

Bb Major

No sharps, 2 flats. Bb, Eb

G minor

2 flats, no sharps. Bb, Eb

Eb Major

No sharps, 3 flats. Bb, Eb, Ab

C minor

3 flats, no sharps. Bb, Eb, Ab

Ab Major

No sharps, 4 flats. Bb, Eb, Ab, Db

F minor

4 flats, no sharps. Bb, Eb, Ab, Db

Db Major

No sharps, 5 flats. Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb

Bb minor

5 flats, no sharps. Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb

Gb Major

No sharps, 6 flats. Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb, Cb

Eb minor

6 flats, no sharps. Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb, Cb

Cb Major

No sharps, 7 flats. Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb, Cb, Fb

Ab minor

7 flats, no sharps. Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb, Cb, Fb