Children's vocal and pop group Columbine. What are the signs in D minor Key signs in scales

Today you can find a large amount of educational literature, which covers almost everything. If you decide to play classical music, then you will have to learn the theory. This is necessary in order to navigate well, be able to improvise and come up with music.

If you have complete ignorance of music theory, it is best to start learning with intervals. Only after studying this section can you begin to study tonalities. There are 24 tones in total. Two of these keys do not have signs at the key, and the rest are characterized by the presence of sharps or flats.

What are the signs in D minor?

D minor can be called one of the light keys, since it contains only 1 key sign - B-flat. It should also be remembered that all natural minor keys can acquire temporary signs. For example, in harmonic minor the 7th level of the gamma will increase. If you project this rule onto the key of D minor, you will get the note C sharp. There is also a melodic type of minor scale. It will sound like a major scale, but with minor changes. In a melodic minor, when moving up, the 6th and 7th degrees will rise, and downwards you will need to play or sing a natural minor (in writing, the signs of raising or lowering notes are canceled by the bekar).

Circle of fifths, or how to learn to improvise

Determining the names of keys by the signs at the key is taught in music schools. You can learn the tonalities and key signs in them yourself, using the image of the circle of fifths. It depicts tones depending on the degree of relationship. For example, at the top point of the circle there are keys without signs, then there are keys with 1, 2, 3, etc. signs at the key. Sharp keys will be indicated on the right, and flat keys on the left. If you remember the circle of fifths, then you can easily select an accompaniment to the melody, improvise, and also understand the key, which has a large number of signs in the key.

How to determine the tonality of a work by key signs

When learning an unfamiliar piece, you first need to determine the key in which it is written. To do this, you should pay attention to the signs on the key. It is also necessary to take into account the ending of the work, since the same key signs can be present in two keys - major or parallel minor. Only by taking these two factors into account will you be able to accurately determine the tonality of the piece.

It should be noted,

In general, the number of key signs and these signs themselves (sharps with flats) just need to be remembered and simply known. Sooner or later they are remembered automatically - whether you want it or not. And on initial stage You can use a variety of cheat sheets. One of these solfeggio cheat sheets is a tonality thermometer.

I’ve already talked about the tonality thermometer – you can read and see the gorgeous, colorful tonality thermometer. In the previous article, I talked about how, using this scheme, you can easily identify signs in keys of the same name (that is, those in which the tonic is the same, but the scale is different: for example, A major and A minor).

In addition, a thermometer is convenient in cases where you need to accurately and quickly determine how many digits one tonality is removed from another, how many digits the difference between two tonalities is.

Now I hasten to inform you that the thermometer found one more thing practical use. If this same thermometer is slightly modernized, it will become more visual and will begin to show not only how many signs are in, but also specifically, what signs are in this major and that minor. Now I'll explain everything.

An ordinary tonality thermometer: it will show a candy wrapper, but won’t give you candy...

In the picture you see the thermometer as it usually appears in the textbook: a “degree” scale with the number of signs, and next to it the keys are written (major and its parallel minor - after all, they have the same number of sharps or flats).

How to use such a thermometer? If you know, then there are no problems: just look at the number of characters and count in order exactly as much as you need. Let's say, in A major there are three signs - three sharps: it is immediately clear that in A major there are F, C and G sharps.

But if you have not yet memorized the rows of sharps and flats, then, needless to say, such a thermometer will not help you: it will show a candy wrapper (the number of characters), but will not give you candy (it will not name specific sharps and flats).

New tonality thermometer: handing out “candy” just like Grandfather Frost

To the scale with the number of characters, I decided to “attach” another scale, which would also name all the sharps and flats in their order. In the upper half of the degree scale, all sharps are highlighted in red - from 1 to 7 (F to sol re la mi si), in the lower half, all flats are highlighted in blue - also from 1 to 7 (si mi la re sol to fa) . In the center are “zero keys,” that is, keys without key signs - these, as you know, are C major and A minor.

How to use? Very simple! Find the desired key: for example, F-sharp major. Next, we count and name all the signs in a row, starting from zero, going up until we reach the mark that corresponds to the given key. That is, in in this case, before we return our eyes to the already found F-sharp major, we will name all 6 sharps in order: F, C, G, D and A!

Or another example: you need to find signs in the key of A-flat major. We have this key among the “flat” ones - we find it and, starting from zero, going down, we call all of it flats, and there are 4 of them: B, E, A and D! Brilliant! =)

Yes, by the way, if you are already tired of using all sorts of cheat sheets, then you don’t have to use them, but read an article about how, after which you won’t forget the signs in keys, even if you deliberately try to get them out of your head! Good luck!

IN next issue We will teach you to memorize signs in keys, introduce you to techniques that will allow you to instantly identify signs in any key.

Let’s say right away that you can simply take and learn the signs in all keys like a multiplication table. It's not as difficult as it seems. For example, the author of these lines did just that: as a second-grade student music school After spending 20-30 minutes, I honestly memorized what was dictated by the teacher, and after that there were no more problems with memorization. By the way, for those who like this method, and for everyone who needs a cheat sheet on keys for solfeggio lessons, at the end of this article there will be a table of keys and their signs with the key with the ability to download.

But if you’re just not interested in learning, or if you just can’t bring yourself to sit down and learn, then just continue reading what we’ve prepared for you. We will master all keys in a logical way. Also, practice - for this purpose, there will be special tasks throughout the article.

How many keys are there in music?

In total, music uses 30 basic tonalities, which can be divided into three groups:

• 2 keys without signs (remember right away - C major and A minor);
• 14 keys with sharps (of which 7 are major and 7 are minor, each major or minor key has from one to seven sharps);
• 14 keys with flats (of which there are also 7 major and 7 minor, each with from one to seven flats).

Keys in which the same number of characters, that is, the same number of flats or sharps, are called. Parallel keys“exist in pairs”: one of them is major, the other is minor. For example: C major and A minor are parallel keys, since they have the same number of signs - zero (they are not there: there are no sharps or flats). Or another example: G major and E minor are also parallel keys with one sharp (F-sharp in both cases).

The tonics of parallel keys are located at a distance of a minor third from each other, therefore, if we know one key, then we can easily find one parallel to it and find out how many signs it will have. You can read in detail about parallel tonalities in the previous issue of our website. You need to be able to find them quickly, so let’s recall some rules.

Rule #1. To find parallel minor, we build a minor third down from the first degree of the original major key. For example: given the key of F major, the minor third from F is F, therefore, D minor will be a parallel key for F major.

Rule No. 2. To find a parallel major, we build the minor third, on the contrary, upward from the first degree of the minor key known to us. For example, the tonality of G minor is given, we build the minor third upward from G, we get the sound B-flat, which means that B-flat major will be the desired parallel major key.

How to distinguish between sharp and flat keys by name?

Let’s make a reservation right away that there is no need to memorize everything right away. First, it’s better to figure it out only with major keys, because minor parallels will have the same signs.

So, how do you differentiate between sharp and flat major keys? Very simple!

The names of flat keys usually contain the word “flat”: B-flat major, E-flat major, A-flat major, D-flat major, etc. The exception is the key of F major, which is also flat, although the word flat is not mentioned in its name. That is, in other words, in such keys as G-flat major, C-flat major or F major there will definitely be key flats (from one to seven).

The names of sharp keys either do not mention any or the word sharp is present. For example, the sharp keys will be G major, D major, A major, F sharp major, C sharp major, etc. But here, relatively speaking, there are also simple exceptions. C major, as you know, is a key without signs, and therefore it does not apply to sharps. And one more exception is again F major (which is a flat key, as we have already said).

And we’ll repeat it again RULES. If there is the word “flat” in the name, it means the key is flat (with the exception of F major, which is also flat). If there is no word “flat” or there is the word “sharp”, then the key is sharp (exceptions are C major without signs and flat F major).

The order of sharps and the order of flats

Before we move on to the definition of the actual signs in a particular key, we will first understand such concepts as the order of sharps and the order of flats. The fact is that sharps and flats in keys appear gradually and not at random, but in a strictly defined sequence.

The order of sharps is as follows: FA DO sol re la mi si. And, if there is only one sharp in the scale, then it will be F-sharp, and not some other one. If there are three sharps in the key, then, accordingly, these will be F, C and G sharps. If there are five sharps, then F-sharp, C-sharp, G-sharp, D-sharp and A-sharp.

The order of flats is the same order of sharps, only “topsy-turvy”, that is, in the raking movement: SI MI LA RE SOL DO F. If there is one flat in the key, then it will be B-flat, if there are two flats - B and E-flat, if there are four, then B, E, A and D.

The order of sharps and flats needs to be learned. It's easy, quick, and very useful. You can learn by simply saying each row out loud 10 times, or remember them as the names of some fairy tale characters, such as Queen Fadosol re Lyamisi and King Simil re Soldofa.

Identifying signs in sharp major keys

In sharp major keys, the last sharp is the penultimate step before the tonic, in other words, the last sharp is a step lower than the tonic. The tonic, as you know, is the first degree of the scale; it is always present in the name of the key.

For example, Let's take the key of G major: the tonic is the note G, the last sharp will be a note lower than G, that is, it will be F-sharp. Now we go in order of sharps FA DO sol RE LI MI SI and stop at the desired last sharp, that is, F. What happens? You need to stop right away, at the very first sharp, as a result - in G major there is only one sharp (F-sharp).

Another example. Let's take the key of E major. What tonic? Mi! What sharp will be the last? D is a note lower than E! We go in order of sharps and stop at the sound “D”: F, C, G, D. It turns out that there are only four sharps in E major, we just listed them.

INSTRUCTIONS to find sharps: 1) determine the tonic; 2) determine which sharp will be the last; 3) go in order of sharps and stop at the desired last sharp; 4) formulate a conclusion - how many sharps are in the key and what they are.

TRAINING TASK: identify the signs in the keys A major, B major, F sharp major.

SOLUTION(answer the questions for each key): 1) What is the tonic? 2) What will be the last sharp? 3) How many sharps will there be and what kind?

• A major – tonic “A”, last sharp – “G”, total sharps – 3 (F, C, G);
• B major – tonic “B”, last sharp – “A”, total sharps – 5 (F, C, G, D, A);
• F-sharp major - tonic “F-sharp”, the last sharp is “E”, a total of 6 sharps (F, C, G, D, A, E).
  

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Identifying signs in flat major keys

It's a little different in flat keys. First of all, you need to remember that in the exception key F major there is only one flat (the first in order is B flat). Further, the rule is as follows: the tonic in a flat key is the penultimate flat. To determine the signs, you need to go in order of flats, find in it the name of the key (that is, the name of the tonic) and add one more, the next flat.

For example, Let's define the signs of A-flat major. We go in order of flats and find A-flat: B, E, A - here it is. Next, add another flat: B, E, A and D! We get: in A-flat major there are only four flats (B, E, A, D).

Another example. Let's define the signs in G-flat major. We go in order: B, E, A, D, G - this is the tonic and we also add the next flat - B, E, A, D, GOL, C. In total, there are six flats in G flat major.

INSTRUCTIONS to find flats: 1) go in order of flats; 2) reach the tonic and add another flat; 3) formulate conclusions - how many flats are in the key and which ones.

TRAINING TASK: determine the number of signs in the keys B-flat major, E-flat major, F major, D-flat major.

SOLUTION(we follow the instructions)

• B-flat major – only 2 flats (SI and E);
• E-flat major – only 3 flats (B, MI and A);
• F major – one flat (B), this is an exception key;
• D-flat major – 5 flats in total (B, E, A, D, G).
  

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How to identify signs in minor keys?

For minor keys, of course, it would also be possible to come up with some convenient rules. For example: in sharp minor keys, the last sharp is a step higher than the tonic, or in flat minor keys, the last flat is two steps lower than the tonic. But too many rules can cause confusion, so it is best to determine the signs in minor keys by parallel major ones.

INSTRUCTIONS: 1) first determine the parallel major key (to do this, we rise to the interval of the minor third from the tonic); 2) determine the signs of a parallel major key; 3) the same signs will be in the original minor scale.

For example. Let's define the signs of F sharp minor. It is immediately clear that we are dealing with sharp tonalities (the word “sharp” in the name has already manifested itself). Let's find a parallel tonality. To do this, we put the minor third up from F-sharp, we get the sound “A” - the tonic of parallel major. So, we now need to find out what signs are in A major. In A major (sharp key): the tonic is “A”, the last sharp is “G”, there are three sharps in total (F, C, G). Therefore, in F sharp minor there will also be three sharps (F, C, G).

Another example. Let's define the signs in F minor. It is not yet clear whether this key is sharp or flat. Let’s find parallelism: build a minor third upward from “F”, we get “A-flat”. A-flat major is a parallel scale; it has the word “flat” in its name, which means F minor will also be in a flat key. We determine the number of flats in A-flat major: we go in order of flats, reach the tonic and add another sign: B, E, A, D. Total - four flats in A-flat major and the same number in F minor (B, E, A, D).

TRAINING TASK: Find signs in the keys C-sharp minor, B minor, G minor, C minor, D minor, A minor.

SOLUTION(we answer questions and gradually come to the necessary conclusions): 1) What is the parallel tonality? 2) Is it sharp or flat? 3) How many signs does it have and what kind? 4) We draw a conclusion - what signs will be in the original key.

• C-sharp minor: parallel key - E major, it is sharp, there are 4 sharps (F, C, G, D), therefore, in C-sharp minor there are also four sharps;
• B minor: parallel key - D major, it is sharp, there are 2 sharps (F and C), in B minor, therefore, there are also two sharps;
• G minor: parallel major – B-flat major, flat key, flats – 2 (B and E), which means there are 2 flats in G minor;
• C minor: parallel key – E-flat major, flat, flats – 3 (B, E, A), in C minor – similarly, three flats;
• D minor: parallel key - F major, flat (key-exception), only B-flat, in D minor there will also be only one flat;
• A minor: parallel key - C major, these are keys without signs, there are no sharps or flats.
  

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Table “Tones and their key signs”

And now, as promised at the beginning, we offer you a table of keys with their key signs. In the table, parallel keys with the same number of sharps or flats are written together; the second column gives letter designation tonality; in the third, the number of signs is indicated, and in the fourth, it is deciphered which specific signs are in a particular scale.

This table can also be downloaded for printing if you need a solfeggio cheat sheet - After a little practice working with different keys, most keys and the signs in them are remembered by themselves.

We invite you to watch a video on the topic of the lesson. The video offers another similar way to memorize key signs in different keys.

Major keys

Minor keys

Parallel keys

Enharmonically equal tonalities

Enharmonically equal tonalities are tonalities that are the same in sound, but different in name.

Comments:

03/29/2015 at 14:02 Oleg spoke out:

I did not see a table with all the signs in the key in all POSSIBLE keys. There is a table, but what is needed is not there!

04/05/2015 at 23:54 Svetlana spoke out:

Hello. Write specifically what tonality you are interested in, I will answer you.

01/21/2016 at 16:06 Julia spoke out:

Keys missing from the table are G-dur and e-moll

01/21/2016 at 16:17 Svetlana spoke out:

Fixed, thanks!

02/19/2016 at 18:59 Maksim spoke out:

I'm interested in C flat major. And could you make a separate article where different chords are built in different keys?

02/19/2016 at 22:25 Svetlana spoke out:

Hello, Maxim. There are seven flats in C-flat major. I recommend that you replace it with the key of B major, they are enharmonically equal, and there will be fewer signs - 5 sharps.

There are no immediate plans to write such an article.

08/30/2017 at 04:52 I need to build d7 with appeals in 24 keys, but for some reason I find 30 keys everywhere on the Internet. Why? spoke out:

I accidentally wrote my question in my name.

04/25/2018 at 14:25 Peter spoke out:

Guys, in fact, all of the above is very useful, and necessary for application in practice. I just don’t understand those who, due to insufficient understanding of the topic, leave bad reviews.

08.10.2018 at 17:36 Julia spoke out:

Good afternoon,

The child was given a pre-task: signs in keys up to 3 with # and b.

Unfortunately, this is already the 4th solfeggio teacher in 3 years, the material is given in pieces. My daughter doesn’t understand at all what it is and what they want from her.

Please tell me.

01/02/2019 at 21:33 morozalex2018 spoke out:

G-dur and e-moll are in the table, look carefully

02/09/2019 at 09:16 Eve spoke out:

Thank you! Very useful article, saved it👏🏻👍🏻

04/16/2019 at 19:33 Lida spoke out:

What are the signs in F flat minor?

04/21/2019 at 23:48 Oleg spoke out:

Useful advice

04/21/2019 at 23:49 Oleg spoke out:

Helpful information

04/21/2019 at 23:55 Oleg spoke out:

Let's look at the key of F flat minor. So, in the key of F minor there are 4 flats, and in F flat minor there are 7 more flats, that is, 4+7=11b. Some may say that this cannot happen. The answer is - maybe!! In F flat minor there are 4 double flats: these are -bbb, mibb, abb and rebb. And also saltb, dob and fab.

04/22/2019 at 00:05 Oleg spoke out:

Tonality with a large (more than six) number of key characters can be replaced by a tonality with a smaller number of characters. The main thing is that the sum of the original and replaced characters is equal to 12, and also that they are opposite. For example, if you have 8 flats, then we do: 12-8b = 4# (F flat major 8b. A E major - 4#). Such tonalities are called enharmonically equal, that is, equal in sound. But in terms of name and notation of notes (scales), they are different.

It is known that there are 24 keys, according to the number of notes in the chromatic scale (12 major and 12 minor keys). Formally (by name) there are more of them, because all tonalities can be called enharmonic. For example, C sharp major can be written as D flat major, etc., or even D major can be thought of as C double sharp major, etc.

On Wikipedia you can find a separate article on each commonly used key, with examples of works academic music in this key, as well as indicating the number of signs in a key parallel and enharmonically equal to the key.

The question arises as to how, in each specific case, it is more correct or convenient to name or write down the tonality with signs at the key. For example, the key of C-sharp major will have seven sharps in the key, and the key of D-flat major will have five flats.

Some keys are not used due to too large quantity signs on the key. For example, the key of D-sharp major should be written with nine signs in the key (two double-sharps, the rest sharps). Therefore, E-flat major is used instead (three flats in the key).

There is a list of used keys on Wikipedia, in almost every article on a specific key (there it is called “Neighboring keys”).

Keys with seven signs in the key are rarely used, because seven characters can always be replaced by five. For example, C sharp major (seven sharps in the key) can be written as D flat major (five flats in the key). Such keys (with seven signs) are used mainly only in special cycles for all keys, for example, “24 Preludes and Fugues”, etc.

Tones with six clefs are enharmonically equal. For example, E-flat minor (six flats) is enharmonically equal to D-sharp minor (six sharps). Taking into account these pairs of keys practically used in music, the result is 26, and taking into account keys with seven signs - 30.

The only well-used major key with the word "sharp" is F-sharp major (six sharps in the key). The only well-used minor key with the word "flat" is E-flat minor (six flats in the key). Those. Basically, minor keys are written with the word “sharp”, and major keys with the word “flat”.

Now a little about the logic of “transitions” from one key to another based on the signs of the key and the like.

1) Parallel tonalities do not differ in signs.

2) The keys of the same name differ by three signs, and the major lies three signs “towards the sharps” from the minor. For example, E minor is one sharp, E major is four sharps. Or: F major - one flat, F minor - four flats. Or: D minor - one flat, D major - two sharps.

3) An “extra” sign at the key, appearing in the text as a random sign, may indicate the use of a certain modal scale. Sometimes such signs are even taken to the key (although this is perhaps a controversial way of recording music).

The Dorian mode is a step towards sharps from minor. For example, in Dorian E there will be an “extra” C-sharp, in Dorian D a B-becar will appear (the flat at the key has been “annihilated”), etc.

The Lydian mode is a step towards sharps from major. For example, in Lydian Fa there will be a si-bekar.

The Phrygian mode is a step towards flats from the minor. For example, E-flat will appear in Phrygian D.

The Mixolydian mode is a step towards flats from major. For example, in Mixolydian C there will be a B-flat.

4) The “authentic” move while maintaining the inclination is a step towards the flats. For example, when moving from C major to F major, B flat appears (the same thing when moving from A minor to D minor). A “plagal” move while maintaining the inclination is a step towards the sharps.

5) A more than a second upward move while maintaining the inclination is a step of two signs towards the sharps (downwards - towards the flats). For example, when moving from G major to A major, two sharps are added, and when moving from G minor to A minor, two flats are removed.

6) A short-second upward move while maintaining the inclination is a step of seven characters towards the sharps (downwards - towards the flats). Hence, for example, the unusability of the key of D-sharp major (in D major there are already two sharps, and in D-sharp major there should be nine of them).

For the convenience of finding the number of accidental signs in keys with more than seven signs, it is useful to remember that the sum of signs (sharps and flats) in enharmonically equal keys is always equal to 12:
- F sharp major and G flat major - 6# + 6b
- C sharp major and D flat major - 7# + 5b
- C flat major and B major - 7b + 5#
- G sharp major and A flat major - 8# + 4b
- F flat major and E major - 8b + 4#