Learning key signatures and increasing speed

[chilievans]

I've just started to learn about key signatures aand I'm looking for some advice on how to go about it? How do you remember the sequcence of them?
Some advice on increasing my speed and accuracy would be greatly appreciated
Thanks in advance

Edited October 19, 2010 by chilievans

[Doddy]

The 'Circle of fifths' is the best thing for learning key signatures.

Basically starting on C,you have no sharps or flats. If you count up a fifth you come to G which has one sharp (F#),
then up a fifth again to D which has two sharps (F#,C#) and so on.
The,again starting on C,count down a fifth to F which has one flat (Bb),then down a fifth again to Bb which has two flats
(Bb,Eb) and so on

[attachment=61789:circle_of_fifths.gif]


As far as speed and accuracy,concentrate on playing slowly and accurately,speed will improve naturally. It's better
to learn things slow and right than fast and wrong.

[Bilbo]

Someone oncetold my kid brother; 'play as fast as you can, not as fast as you can't'

I go t'other way round, Doddy!! C no flats, up a fourth, (f one flat), up a fourth (Bb two flats), up a fourth (Eb three flats), up a fourth (Ab four flats), up a fourth (Db 5 flats)

Or C DOWN a fourth (G one sharp), DOWN a foourth (D two sharps) and so on....

[bobbass]

When writing key signatures, order of sharps..

Father Christmas Gave Dad An Electric Blanket..

When reading a sharp key signature, look at the final sharp sign, and a semitone up is the major key.

When writing flat key signatures, look at the penultimate flat sign, and that is the major key.

Order of flats.. Blanket Explodes And Dad Gets Cold Feet.


Then just learn how many flats or sharps each major key has.

Jump down a minor third (or three semitones) and this will give you it's relative minor key.

G major has the same key sig as E minor. F maj the same key sig as D minor. etc..

[Bilbo]

These learninig tools make me laugh!!!

Its got to be easier just to learn them by rote than to remember these formulas!!

[Joe Hubbard Bass]

The cycle of fifths is definitely the way to go when visulising these key signatures. As already pointed out, clockwise takes you up in 5ths and anti-clockwise takes you in 4ths. An important adendum to this is that although there are only 12 notes within this cycle, there are actually 15 written key signatures.

The keys: C# & Db, F# & Gb, B & Cb are called enharmonics (same notes spelled different ways)

So to recap there are 15 keys: one natural key, seven sharp keys and seven flat keys.

These types of musical mechanics just have to be learned in the same way a driver learns what the signs on the road mean- just take the time to learn them.

Speed comes with practice, but always remember that speed is just a reflex of what you really know at a slow tempo. Jeff Berlin says not to use a metronome while learning new things. I have to agree with him here; first slowly take in and process new information; then when you know what it is that you are playing, begin to build tempos, work on phrasing, grooves, etc.

Hope that helps

Joe

Edited October 20, 2010 by Joe Hubbard Bass

[chilievans]

Thanks for the advice guys