Topmusicanswers
The reason that some major scales have sharps and others have flats is to avoid overly complicated notation. Let's take the scale of A flat major for example. We can rewrite the starting note A flat as G sharp because these are 'enharmonic equivalents', meaning that they are different spellings for the same sound.
- Why do scales have sharps and flats?
- What scales have what sharps?
- What scales have no sharps?
- How do you know if a scale has sharps?
Why do scales have sharps and flats?
Flats and sharps are necessary to allow every version of the diatonic scale to start at any point on the chromatic scale without repeating a note letter name, or assigning different notes in our chosen diatonic scale to the same line on the musical stave.
What scales have what sharps?
Scales with sharp key signatures
| Major key | Number of sharps | Sharp notes |
|---|---|---|
| G major | 1 | F♯ |
| D major | 2 | F♯, C♯ |
| A major | 3 | F♯, C♯, G♯ |
| E major | 4 | F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯ |
What scales have no sharps?
A minor is a minor scale based on A, with the pitches A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. Its key signature has no flats and no sharps. Its relative major is C major and its parallel major is A major.
How do you know if a scale has sharps?
To find the name of a key signature with sharps, look at the sharp farthest to the right. The key signature is the note a half step above that last sharp. Key signatures can specify major or minor keys. To determine the name of a minor key, find the name of the key in major and then count backwards three half steps.
