Music Fundamentals A Balanced Approach

Parallel Major and Minor Key Signatures

Major and minor keys that share the same tonic notes are called parallel keys. Notice:

• Parallel keys do not have the same key signature. For example:


• Not every major and minor key has a parallel key. For example, D sharp minor does not have a parallel D
  sharp major key, and G flat major does not have a parallel G flat minor key.

Circle of Fifths—Minor Keys

The minor Circle of Fifths shows the 15 minor scales with their increasing number of sharps or flats. As in the
major Circle of Fifths, the sharped minor scales begin clockwise around the circle (this time from A minor) and
the flatted scales begin counterclockwise. Moving clockwise from A minor, the number of sharps increases from
Eminor with one sharp to A sharp minor with seven sharps. When moving counterclockwise from A minor,
the number of flats increases from D minor with one flat to A flat minor with seven flats. Notice:

• The sharps in a key signature move by fifths: F#C#G#D#A#E#B#.


• The flats in a key signature move by fifths: BbEbAbDbGbCbFb.


• The three pairs of enharmonic scales consist of 5, 6, or 7 sharps or flats (A#/Bb, D#/Eb, G#/Ab).


• Every key on the minor Circle of Fifths has a relativemajor; however, not every key will have a parallel
  major. For example, G#minor and B major are relative keys. However, G#minor does not have a parallel G#
  major key.


• Letter names for minor keys are sometimes written with lower case letters, especially when the word
  “minor” is omitted. This style is used here as an example (overleaf).

Exercise 5

Identify the minor key for the following key signatures. Use any of the following methods to determine the key:

• Use the minor Circle of Fifths: move clockwise to the right from A minor for scales with sharps, move
  counterclockwise to the left from A minor for scales with flats.


• Use the key signature: Move three half steps down from the major key (tonics will both be notes on lines
  or notes on spaces).


• Memorize the key signatures for all 15 minor keys.

221

MINOR SCALE

?

w

F major

Key signature: 1 flat

b

?

w

F minor

Key signature: 4 flats

b

b

b

b