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Easy Way To Remember Sharps & Flats by JazzMaverick 4 Dec 2008 Views: 94061

So starting off you have all probably heard of this "Circle of fifths" thing. I thought it was a piece of crap when I first learnt it and couldn't get it at all. So I discovered an easier way to remember the sharps and flats, and it also helped me to understand the Circle of fifths, too.




So, for the sharps, I'll name the keys in order of how many sharps there are.

Key of G = 1 sharp
Key of D = 2 sharps
Key of A = 3 sharps
Key of E = 4 Sharps
Key of B = 5 Sharps
Key of F# = 6 Sharps
Key of C# = 7 Sharps

Now, to remember this, I used words for each Key letter and it became a story. This is the only story I've been able to make out of it, but if you're able to make one yourself, be my guest.

Goes Down And Ends Battle, Father Charles

Now, to remember the order of the sharps that are in each key I'm using the same words for each, like so:

Father Charles Goes Down And Ends Battle.

Just incase you don't get this, F# is the only sharp in the key of G.
F#, C# are the only two sharps in the key of D.
F#, C#, G# are the only sharps in the key of A.
And so on.

Pretty much the same thing for the Flats, too.

Key of F = 1 Flat
Key of B = 2 Flats
Key of E = 3 Flats
Key of A = 4 Flats
Key of D = 5 Flats
Key of G = 6 Flats
Key of C = 7 Flats

Key order:

Father's Battle Ends And Down Goes Charles

Order of Flats:

Battle Ends And Down Goes Charles' Father.

Same thing with the sharps, Bb is the only flat in the key of F and so on.




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