The order of the letters in the flat signature which follows should be committed to memory:—
B E A D G C F.
By comparing the order of the letters in the flat signature with that of the sharp signature, it will be seen that the order of the letters in the flat signature is that of the sharp signature reversed.
Notice that each key has more than one name; for example, the white key next to the left of the group of two black keys has been called C, Dbb and B#.
Rule 3. An Enharmonic Change is the Change of a Name of a Tone without Altering its Pitch.
Two or more scales played from the same pitched tone but called by different names are called enharmonic scales. In practice,[B] fifteen major scales are used, three of which are enharmonic scales. Following is a list of the major scales used in practice together with their signatures:—
C no sharps or flats
G 1 sharp (f)
D 2 sharps (f and c)
A 3 sharps (f, c and g)
E 4 sharps (f, c, g and d)
B 5 sharps (f, c, g, d and a)
F# 6 sharps (f, c, g, d, a and e)
C# 7 sharps (f, c, g, d, a, e and b)
F 1 flat (b)
Bb 2 flats (b and e)
Eb 3 flats (b, e and a)
Ab 4 flats (b, e, a and d)
Db 5 flats (b, e, a, d and g) enharmonical to C#
Gb 6 flats (b, e, a, d, g and c) enharmonical to F#
Cb 7 flats (b, e, a, d, g, c and f) enharmonical to B