Sharp key signatures cover seven of the twelve major keys: G, D, A, E, B, F♯, and C♯ major. Each one adds one more sharp to the staff in a fixed order, and learning that order is the fastest way to recognize any sharp key signature at a glance.
This guide lists every major key signature that uses sharps, shows what each one looks like on the staff, gives the relative minor that shares each signature, and explains the simple trick to identify any sharp key from the last sharp in its signature. This is part 2 of our key signatures series; part 1 covers the basics and the full chart, and part 3 covers flat keys.
Major key signatures with sharps
The seven major keys that use sharps are G, D, A, E, B, F♯, and C♯ major. Each adds one sharp to the previous key, following a fixed sequence: F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯, A♯, E♯, B♯. Below is every sharp key signature, in order.
G major key signature (1 sharp)
G major has one sharp: F♯. The key signature appears at the start of each line of music, telling you to play F as F♯ throughout the piece. It shares this one-sharp signature with its relative minor, E minor.
D major key signature (2 sharps)
D major has two sharps: F♯ and C♯. Its relative minor, B minor, uses the same two-sharp signature.
A major key signature (3 sharps)
A major has three sharps: F♯, C♯, and G♯. It's one of the most common keys in classical, jazz, and pop music; Mozart's Clarinet Concerto, K. 622 is in A major, and the key turns up in countless guitar songs. Its relative minor is F♯ minor.
E major key signature (4 sharps)
E major has four sharps: F♯, C♯, G♯, and D♯. It's a favorite key for guitar because the open strings line up well with the scale. Its relative minor is C♯ minor.
B major key signature (5 sharps)
B major has five sharps: F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯, and A♯. Its relative minor is G♯ minor.
F♯ major key signature (6 sharps)
F♯ major has six sharps: F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯, A♯, and E♯. Yes, E♯ is the same pitch as F natural, but in this key it's written as E♯ so the scale keeps one note of each letter name. Its relative minor is D♯ minor, and the whole signature is often written enharmonically as G♭ major (six flats) instead.
C♯ major key signature (7 sharps)
C♯ major has all seven sharps: F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯, A♯, E♯, and B♯. It's the most extreme sharp key and is usually written enharmonically as D♭ major (five flats) for easier reading. Its relative minor is A♯ minor.
How to memorize sharp key signatures
The sharps always appear in the same order on the staff, no matter the key: F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯, A♯, E♯, B♯. A common mnemonic is "Father Charles Goes Down And Ends Battle."
To identify a major key from its signature, look at the last sharp on the right, then go up one half-step (one semitone). That gives you the key. If the last sharp is F♯, the key is G major. If the last sharp is C♯, the key is D major. If the last sharp is G♯, the key is A major, and so on.
Once you can read the signatures, choosing between them is the next step. Our guide to music keys and their emotions maps how each key tends to feel.
Practice sharp key signatures in Flat
The fastest way to internalize these is to write them. Open a new score in Flat, set the key signature from the toolbar, and write the major scale for each sharp key in turn, then play it back to connect the look of the signature with its sound. Start with G major (one sharp) and add a sharp each time until you reach C♯ major.
💡 How to add or change a key signature in Flat.
You can also drill recognition with an external tool like musictheory.net's key signature game.
Key signatures series
- Part 1: Introduction to key signatures
- Part 2: Major key signatures with sharps
- Part 3: Major key signatures with flats
- Part 4: Minor key signatures
FAQ
How many major keys use sharps?
Seven: G, D, A, E, B, F♯, and C♯ major. Each one adds one more sharp than the last, following the fixed order F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯, A♯, E♯, B♯.
How do you identify a major key from its sharp key signature?
Look at the last sharp on the right and go up one half-step. If the last sharp is F♯, the key is G major; if it is G♯, the key is A major, and so on.
Which major key has the most sharps?
C♯ major, with all seven sharps. It is often written instead as D♭ major, which uses five flats and is easier to read.
What is the order of sharps in a key signature?
F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯, A♯, E♯, B♯. A common mnemonic for remembering it is "Father Charles Goes Down And Ends Battle."
What are the relative minors of the sharp major keys?
Each sharp major key shares its signature with a minor key: E minor (G major), B minor (D major), F♯ minor (A major), C♯ minor (E major), G♯ minor (B major), D♯ minor (F♯ major), and A♯ minor (C♯ major).