1. Key Signatures

2. Understanding how key signatures work will help you memorize them. You can either memorize them, or follow the simple rules.

3. Note names: Those sentences you have been saying since 1 st grade really do work:

4.  Treble clef lines EGBDF (Every Good Boy Does Fine) 

5.  Treble clef lines EGBDF (Every Good Boy Does Fine)  and spaces FACE; 

6.  Treble clef lines EGBDF (Every Good Boy Does Fine) Treble clef spaces FACE Bass clef lines GBDFA (Great Big Dogs Fight Animals) Bass clef spaces ACEG (All Cows Eat Grass) 

7.  Treble clef lines EGBDF (Every Good Boy Does Fine)  and spaces FACE;  bass clef lines GBDFA (Great Big Dogs Fight Animals)  and spaces ACEG (All Cows Eat Grass).

8.  Treble clef lines EGBDF (Every Good Boy Does Fine)  and spaces FACE;  bass clef lines GBDFA (Great Big Dogs Fight Animals)  and spaces ACEG (All Cows Eat Grass). Always go from the bottom up!

9. Finding the key signature 

10. Finding the key signature  You must memorize 2 key signatures: C has no sharps or flats, and F has 1 flat. The others follow easy, consistent rules. 

11. Finding the key signature  You must memorize 2 key signatures: C has no sharps or flats, and F has 1 flat. The others follow easy, consistent rules.  SHARPS: Find the last sharp (farthest to the right). That is TI. Move up a half step (next note name) and there is your keynote, DO. 

12. Finding the key signature  You must memorize 2 key signatures: C has no sharps or flats, and F has 1 flat. The others follow easy, consistent rules.  SHARPS: Find the last flat (farthest to the right). That is TI. Move up a half step (next note name) and there is your keynote, DO.  FLATS: The next to last (penultimate) flat is your keynote, DO. You can also remember that the last flat is FA and go from there.

13. The sharps and flats are always arranged in a particular order.

14.  Sharps: FCGDAEB (Four Crows Got Drunk At Ernie’s Bar) 

15.  Sharps: FCGDAEB (Four Crows Got Drunk At Ernie’s Bar)  Flats: BEADGCF (BEAD—Greatest Common Factor) 

16.  Sharps: FCGDAEB (Four Crows Got Drunk At Ernie’s Bar)  Flats: BEADGCF (BEAD—Greatest Common Factor)  Notice that the sharps and flats are opposite of each other.