Understanding Key Signatures Become a better choral sightreader by finding your starting pitch quick

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Understanding Key SignaturesBecome a better
choral sight-reader by finding your starting
pitch quickly

• Tutorial Project
• EDU6607 Dr. Yang T1-08
• John F. Morgan

BEGIN
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Prerequisite Knowledge

• This tutorial is only for students who are
  already familiar with the lines and spaces of the
  bass and treble clefs. If you need to refer to
  the wall chart of letter names, please do so. If
  you need extra help learning the lines and spaces
  of the clefs, please click on the graphic below
  to go to the Ricci Adams website. Otherwise,
  click the NEXT button below.

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Background Information

• Key signatures are the flat symbols, the sharp
  symbols, the cancel symbol used during
  modulations, or no symbols (the absence of sharps
  or flats), and are located immediately following
  the clef (bass or treble in choral literature) on
  each musical staff.

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Modulation

• Modulation is changing from one key to another
  key by changing the key signature. Within the
  same piece of music, composers cancel the
  outgoing key with cancel signs before placing the
  new key signature. Note that the cancel signs
  line up exactly with the previous keys sharp
  signs.

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Chorus Students and Keys

• Chorus students must be able to identify keys
  quickly in order to sight-read and in order to
  know how their note relates to the scale.
• The most important thing to know Your starting
  pitch.
• Your starting pitch is the note of the scale on
  which you begin to sing. This is the pitch you
  must know to be successful in an audition.
• (Your ending pitch will either be ONE if the
  music is in a major key, or SIX if the music is
  in a minor key.)

Major1
Minor6
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• We move our voice up and down with the numbers of
  the scale. Click below to listen to these example
  of going up and down the seven pitches of the
  scale.

The ascending (stepping up) Eb Major Scale
The descending (stepping down) Eb Major Scale
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Chorus Students and Keys

• The seven pitches of the scale, numbered by scale
  degrees, remain assigned to the same lines and
  spaces during a song (unless there is a
  modulation). The scale degrees tell the singer
  how to move their voice. For instance, from ONE
  to TWO steps up one pitch of the scale, while
  from ONE to THREE skips one pitch. (Click to
  listen.)

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Finding the Starting Pitch

• Songs can start on any of the seven scale degree
  pitches.
• Three simple rules help us to find the starting
  pitch of a song.
• Last FLAT 4
• Last SHARP 7
• No SHARPS and No FLATS, C 1

Last FLAT4
Last SHARP 7
No SHARPS and No FLATS C 1
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Finding Starting Pitch in FLAT KEYS
Last FLAT4

• First we must identify which flat is the LAST
  one, or the furthest flat to the right. Here are
  some examples with the last flat circled. Notice
  whether the center of the flat is a line or a
  space. As you can see, the key signature changes
  where the last flat is located on the staff.

The last flat Is a space flat On the F space
The last flat Is a line flat On the B line
The last flat Is a space flat On the E space
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Finding Starting Pitch in FLAT KEYS
Last FLAT4

• When you find the last flat, you have discovered
  the line or space where the fourth note of the
  scale is assigned in that key! As you can see, 4
  moves around based on the key signature, but once
  you find it you can find any notes number in
  that song.

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Finding Starting Pitch in FLAT KEYS
Last FLAT4

• Notice how all the lines and spaces are numbered
  by the scale degrees based on the last flat (4).

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Finding Starting Pitch in FLAT KEYS
Last FLAT4

• After finding four, find your starting pitch by
  counting lines and spaces from four. Notice that
  the note pictured is higher than the last flat,
  so you count up the scale. The note pictured is a
  1.

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Finding Starting Pitch in FLAT KEYS
Last FLAT4

• Here is another example in the key of four flats.
  Notice how the first note is lower than the last
  flat, so you count down in the scale. The note
  pictured is 6.

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Finding Starting Pitch in FLAT KEYS
Last FLAT4

• Lets practice some examples. Try to find the
  starting pitch in these flat keys. Count from the
  last flat, then click on the correct answer.

Is the first pitch
3
4
5
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Correct Answer!
Last FLAT4

• The starting pitch is 5, because it is one space
  higher than the last flat (4).

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Try Again!
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BACK
Review Flats tutorial
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Finding Starting Pitch in FLAT KEYS
Last FLAT4

• Try another example. This one is in five flats.
  Count from the last flat, then click on the
  correct answer.

Is the first pitch
1
4
7
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Correct Answer!

• The starting pitch is 7. Notice how the pitches
  are on the same lines, but the numbers are not on
  the same lines as the previous example. That is
  how key signatures work.

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Try Again!
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Review Flats tutorial
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Finding Starting Pitch in FLAT KEYS
Last FLAT4

• Try another example. This one is in three flats.
  Count from the last flat, then click on the
  correct answer.

Is the first pitch
1
2
6
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Review Flats tutorial
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Correct Answer!

• The starting pitch is 6. Notice how the pitches
  are on the same lines, but the numbers are not on
  the same lines as the previous example.

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Lets Review

• Songs can start on any of the seven scale degree
  pitches.
• Three simple rules help us to find the starting
  pitch of a song.
• Last FLAT 4now you understand this concept.
• Last SHARP 7
• No SHARPS and No FLATS, C 1

Last FLAT4
Last SHARP 7
No SHARPS and No FLATS C 1
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Finding Starting Pitch in SHARP KEYS
Last SHARP 7

• First we must identify which sharp is the LAST
  one, or the furthest sharp to the right. Here are
  some examples with the last sharp circled. Notice
  whether the center of the sharp is a line or a
  space. As you can see, the key signature changes
  where the last sharp is located on the staff.

The last sharp Is a space sharp On the C space
The last sharp Is a space sharp On the G space
The last sharp Is a line sharp On the B line
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Finding Starting Pitch in SHARP KEYS
Last SHARP 7

• When you find the last sharp, you have discovered
  the line or space where the seventh note of the
  scale is assigned in that key! As you can see, 7
  moves around based on the key signature, but once
  you find it you can find any notes number in
  that song.

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Finding Starting Pitch in SHARP KEYS
Last SHARP 7

• Lets practice some examples. Try to find the
  starting pitch in these sharp keys. Count from
  the last sharp, then click on the correct answer.

Is the first pitch
5
6
1
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Correct Answer!
Last SHARP 7

• The starting pitch is 1, because it is one space
  higher than the last sharp (7).

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Try Again!
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BACK
Review Sharps tutorial
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Finding Starting Pitch in SHARP KEYS
Last FLAT4
Last SHARP 7

• Try another example. Count from the last sharp,
  then click on the correct answer.

Is the first pitch
6
7
1
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Correct Answer!
Last FLAT4
Last SHARP 7

• The starting pitch is 7, because it is on the
  same space as the last sharp (7).

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Try Again!
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BACK
Review Sharps tutorial
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Finding Starting Pitch in SHARP KEYS
Last FLAT4
Last SHARP 7

• Try another example. Count from the last sharp,
  then click on the correct answer.

Is the first pitch
3
4
7
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Correct Answer!
Last FLAT4
Last SHARP 7

• The starting pitch is 3. Notice how the lines and
  spaces are numbered from the last sharp (7).

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Try Again!
QUIT
BACK
Review Sharps tutorial
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Lets Review

• Songs can start on any of the seven scale degree
  pitches.
• Three simple rules help us to find the starting
  pitch of a song.
• Last FLAT 4you already understand this
  concept.
• Last SHARP 7now you understand this concept
  too.
• No SHARPS and No FLATS, C 1

Last FLAT4
Last SHARP 7
No SHARPS and No FLATS C 1
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Finding Starting Pitch with NO sharps or flats
No SHARPS and No FLATS C 1

• Some music appears to have no key signature.
  Actually, having no sharps or flats IS a key
  signature! To find the starting pitch in this
  key, we must find a C, because C1. Memorize
  where C is located on the treble clef.

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Finding Starting Pitch with NO sharps or flats
No SHARPS and No FLATS C 1

• It is easy to remember the location of treble C
  using the letters of the word FACE. Middle C is
  easy to remember because it is one ledger line
  below the staff.

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Finding Starting Pitch with NO sharps or flats
No SHARPS and No FLATS C 1

• Once you find a C, number it 1, and number all
  the other notes in scale order from there. Its
  EASY. Remember, if you cant SEE any sharps or
  flats, C is 1.

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Finding Starting Pitch in C
Last SHARP 7
No SHARPS and No FLATS C 1

• Lets practice some examples. Try to find the
  starting pitch. Count from C, then click on the
  correct answer.

Is the first pitch
5
6
1
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Correct Answer!
Last SHARP 7
No SHARPS and No FLATS C 1

• The starting pitch is 5. Notice how the scale
  counts down from the C space.

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Try Again!
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BACK
Review C tutorial
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Finding Starting Pitch in C
Last FLAT4
Last SHARP 7
No SHARPS and No FLATS C 1

• Try another example. Count from the C, then click
  on the correct answer.

Is the first pitch
2
6
1
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Correct Answer!
Last FLAT4
Last SHARP 7
No SHARPS and No FLATS C 1

• The starting pitch is 2, because it is one higher
  than C. The numbers for this song are 2, 4, 1.

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Try Again!
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BACK
Review C tutorial
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Finding Starting Pitch in C
Last FLAT4
Last SHARP 7
No SHARPS and No FLATS C 1

• Try another example. Click on the correct
  answer.

Is the first pitch
3
4
5
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Correct Answer!
Last FLAT4
Last SHARP 7
No SHARPS and No FLATS C 1

• The starting pitch is 5. Notice how the lines and
  spaces are numbered from the C. The scale degree
  numbers in this song are 5, 3, 3, and the last
  three is an octave lower than the 3 before it.

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Try Again!
BACK
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Review C tutorial
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To QUIT, press the ESC key

• Good-Bye!

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Now you understand Key SignaturesYou will be a
better choral sight-reader by finding your
starting pitch quickly
Review Flats tutorial
Review Sharps tutorial
Review C tutorial

• Good-Bye!
• Press the ESC key to exit or the arrow below to
  start over

References
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ReferencesCircle of Fifths image public
domain. Retrieved on October 6, 1008 from
http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ImageCircle_of_fifth
s_deluxe_4.svg Press ESC key to exit