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 |
0 |  A minor key signature |
|
| E minor | E Minor scale |
1 |  E minor key signature |
|
| B minor |  B Minor scale |
2 |  B minor key signature |
|
| F-sharp Minor |  F-sharp Minor scale |
3 |  F-sharp minor key signature |
|
| C-sharp minor |  C-sharp Minor scale |
4 |  C-sharp minor key signature |
|
| G-sharp minor |  G-sharp Minor scale |
5 |  G-sharp minor key signature |
|
| D-sharp minor |  D-sharp Minor scale |
6 |  D-sharp minor key signature |
|
| A-sharp minor |  A-sharp Minor scale |
7 |  A-sharp minor key signature |
Take a moment now to to practice playing the minor scales with sharps on the virtual piano 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.
| Name | Scale | Flats | Key Signature | Listen |
| A minor | A minor scale |
0 | A minor key signature |
|
| D minor |  D Flat minor scale |
1 |  D minor key signature |
|
| G minor |  G minor scale |
2 |  G minor key signature |
|
| C minor | C minor scale |
3 | C minor key signature |
|
| F minor |  F minor scale |
4 |  F minor key signature |
|
| B-flat minor |  B-flat minor scale |
5 |  B-flat minor key signature |
|
| E-flat minor |  E-flat minor scale |
6 |  E-flat minor key signature |
|
| A-flat minor |  A-flat minor scale |
7 |  A-flat minor key signature |
Take a moment now to practice playing the minor scales with flats on the virtual piano below.