Music Theory 1 (How many sharps/flats)

Question 1

C

Answer 1

No sharps or flats

Question 2

G

Answer 2

1 sharp

F#

Question 3

D

Answer 3

2 sharps

F# and C#

Question 4

A

Answer 4

3 sharps

C#, F#, G#

Question 5

E

Answer 5

4 sharps

F#, G#, A#, C#

Question 6

B

Answer 6

5 sharps

C#, D#, F#, G#, A#

Question 7

F#

Answer 7

6 sharps

F#, G#, A#, C#, D#, E#

Question 8

C# (Db)

Answer 8

7 sharps

C#, D#, E#, F#, G#, A#, B#

Question 9

F

Answer 9

1 flat

Bb

Question 10

Bb

Answer 10

2 flats

Bb and Eb

Question 11

Eb

Answer 11

3 flats

Eb, Ab, Bb

Question 12

Ab

Answer 12

4 flats

Ab, Bb, Db, Eb

Question 13

Db

Answer 13

5 flats

Db, Eb, Gb, Ab, Bb

Question 14

Gb

Answer 14

6 flats

Gb, Ab, Bb, Cb, Db, Eb

Question 15

Cb

Answer 15

7 flats

Cb, Db, Eb, Fb, Gb, Ab, Bb

Question 16

Mnemonic for order of sharps/flats

Answer 16

Sharps - Father Carl Goes Down And Ends Battle
or Fat Cats Go Down Alleys Eating Birds, Fuckers

Flats - Battle Ends And Down Goes Carl’s Father
or BEAD Go Catch Fish

Question 17

Find the number of sharps in a scale / See what key it is from the number of sharps

Answer 17

For sharps, all you have to do is take the tonic of the key and subtract a semitone (a half-step). This leaves you with the last note in the key that has a sharp. When we say last, we mean in the order of FCGDAEB. Here’s an example:

Sharps: For B-Major, we start with B and subtract a semitone, which lands us on A#. Now we cycle through the Circle starting at F. This tells us that B-Major has 5 sharps, which are F#, C#, G#, D#, and finally A#.

Question 18

Find the number of flats in a scale / See what key it is from the number of flats

Answer 18

Take the tonic of the key and jump backwards a fifth on the Circle by moving counter-clockwise one step. This again will be the last note in the key that has a flat. For flats, we mean the last note in the order of BEADGCF. Here’s the example so this makes sense:

Flats: If we need to formulate the key signature for D-flat Major, we start with Db. We move backwards a fifth to Gb. According to BEADGCF, this key has five flats. Now we cycle around the Circle counter-clockwise starting at B and add E, A, D, and finally G. These are our five flats.

Question 19

Circle of Fifths

Answer 19

From 12- Cats Go Down Alleys Eating Birds, (sharp) Fuckers (clock-wise)
From 5pm - BEAD Go Catch Fish, BbEbAbDb F# (anti-clockwise)
From 1pm - Go Catch Fish BEAD