Key and Key Signatures

Key Signatures tell us what notes are sharp or flat in a scale. When we say we are in the Key of F Major we are saying that we are using the notes of the F Major scale. The Key Signature for the Key of F Major would be one flat, because there is one flat in the F Major scale.

Any single Key Signature symbol will identify both a Major and (Natural) Minor scale, for example C Major and A (natural) Minor have the same Key Signature symbol.

Examples of Key Signatures:

Time Signatures

Time Signatures tell us what the meter is and what note values comprise the beat. Time signatures are written as two numbers, with one number above the other.

The top number tells us how many beats there are in a measure; this is also the meter. The bottom number tells us what note values comprise the beat.

In the above example the top number is 3: This tells us that there are 3 beats in a measure. The bottom number tells us that the quarter-note gets the beat.