Learning Objectives

Learn about key signatures in minor.

Minor Scales IV: Minor Key Signatures

Minor Key Signatures

Like major keys, the accidentals that are needed in a minor key can be added to a key signature. The accidentals in minor key signatures always appear in particular positions on the staff, and in a particular order. This order is the same as it was for major keys: for sharps it is F C G D A E B and for flats it is B E A D G C F. Also like major keys, there are fifteen minor keys: one with no sharps or flats (A minor), seven with sharps, and seven with flats. All of these minor key signatures are shown below.

Remember

The order of sharps in a sharp minor key signature is F C G D A E B
The order of flats in a flat minor key signature is B E A D G C F

The Seven Sharp Minor Keys

There are seven minor keys that use sharps: E minor, B minor, F-sharp minor, C-sharp minor, G-sharp minor, D-sharp minor, and A-sharp minor, displayed in the chart below. The chart begins with A minor, which has zero sharps, and ends with A-sharp minor, which has all seven sharps. Note particularly how the sharps are added in the order F C G D A E B as you move through keys with more and more sharps.

Name

Scale

Sharps

Key Signature

Listen

A Minor

A Minor scale

A minor key signature

A Minor Scale

E Minor

E Minor scale

E minor key signature

E Minor Scale

B Minor

B Minor scale

B minor key signature

B Minor Scale

F-sharp Minor

F-sharp Minor scale

F sharp minor key signature

F-Sharp Minor Scale

C-sharp Minor

C-sharp minor scale

C sharp minor key signature

C-Sharp Minor Scale

G-sharp Minor

G-sharp Minor scale

G sharp minor key signature

G-Sharp Minor Scale

D-sharp Minor

D sharp minor scale

D sharp minor key signature

D-Sharp Minor Scale

A-sharp Minor

A-sharp Minor scale

A sharp minor key signature

A-Sharp Minor Scale

Take a moment now to to practice playing the minor scales with sharps on the virtual piano below.

Click this small keyboard icon below.

The Seven Flat Minor Keys

There are seven minor keys that use flats: D minor, G minor, C minor, F minor, B-flat minor, E-flat minor, and A-flat minor, displayed in the chart below. The chart begins with A Minor, which has zero flats, and ends with A-flat Minor, which has all seven flats. Note particularly how the flats are added in the order B E A D G C F as you move through keys with more and more flats.