MusicianCV · TROrder of sharps
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Tonal centres and signatures
Order of sharps · F C G D A E B → 1♯ → 7♯
A key signature sets default accidentals. Listen to phrase endings and accompaniment to establish the tonal centre. Different centres can share a signature.
Example
Key or operation / check · F C G D A E B / 1♯ → 7♯
Key or operation / checkF C G D A E B 1♯ → 7♯
Try it
Is the signature alone sufficient to choose between two candidate keys?
Answer
Look for a cadential phrase and bass motion. Distinguish local alterations from the signature.Related topics
Scale degrees and tonal centreReferences
Music Theory for the 21st-Century Classroom · Further reading
Subject-expert review pending.