A minor key signature

The Solution below shows the A natural minor key signature on the treble clef and bass clef.

The Lesson steps then explain how to write the key signature using both clefs, including the display order and line / space staff positions of the notes, and the sharp / flat accidentals.

For a quick summary of this topic, have a look at Key signature.

Natural minor key signature keys
Key	C	C#	Db	D	D#	Eb	E	E#	Fb	F	F#	Gb	G	G#	Ab	[A]	A#	Bb	B	B#	Cb	All On 1 page

Solution

1. A minor key signature

This step shows the A natural minor scale key signature on the treble clef and bass clef.

The A minor scale has no sharp or flat notes.

This minor scale key is on the Circle of 5ths - A minor on circle of 5ths, which means that it is a commonly used minor scale key.

A minor scale has no sharp or flat notes
No.	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
Note	A	B	C	D	E	F	G	A

These note names are shown below on the treble clef followed by the bass clef.

A minor key signature

Bass Clef

Treble Clef

Lesson steps

1. Piano key note names

This step shows the white and black note names on a piano keyboard so that the note names are familiar for later steps, and to show that the note names start repeating themselves after 12 notes.

The white keys are named using the alphabetic letters A, B, C, D, E, F, and G, which is a pattern that repeats up the piano keyboard.

Every white or black key could have a flat(b) or sharp(#) accidental name, depending on how that note is used. In a later step, if sharp or flat notes are used, the exact accidental names will be chosen.

Sharp and flat note names

The audio files below play every note shown on the piano above, so middle C (marked with an orange line at the bottom) is the 2nd note heard.

Bass Clef

Treble Clef

2. A minor notes

This step shows the number of sharps or flats in the scale so that the number of symbols needed for the key signature can be identified.

The A natural minor scale has no sharp or flat notes.

As there are no sharps or flats in this scale, there are no sharp or flat symbols to show next to the treble clef for the key signature.

A minor scale has no sharp or flat notes
No.	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
Note	A	B	C	D	E	F	G	A

A minor scale

To understand why the A minor scale has no sharp or flat notes, have a look at the A natural minor scale page, which shows how to identify the note positions and names for this scale.

To see a key signature showing all possible sharp symbols next to the treble and bass clef, have a look at the A# natural minor key signature.

To see a key signature showing all possible flat symbols next to the treble and bass clef, have a look at the Ab natural minor key signature.

Bass Clef

Treble Clef

Related Keys and Topics

Natural minor key signature keys
Key	C	C#	Db	D	D#	Eb	E	E#	Fb	F	F#	Gb	G	G#	Ab	[A]	A#	Bb	B	B#	Cb	All On 1 page

Music theory links in the key of A
Related links	A natural minor key signature, A, A natural minor scale
More minor scales	A harmonic minor scale, A melodic minor scale
Other scales	A major scale, A chromatic scale, A major pentatonic scale, A blues scale
Intervals	A-1st, A-2nd, A-3rd, A-4th, A-5th, A-6th, A-7th, A-8th
Circle of 5ths	Learn the circle of fifths, A minor on circle of 5ths
Modes	A ionian, A dorian, A phrygian, A lydian, A mixolydian, aeolian, A locrian
Triad chords	A diminished, A minor, A major, A augmented, A suspended 2nd, A suspended 4th
6th chords	A minor 6th, A major 6th
7th chords	A dim 7, A half-dim7, A min 7, A min-maj 7, A dom 7, A maj 7, A aug 7, A aug-maj 7, A maj 7 sus2, A dom 7 sus4, A maj 7 sus4
Scale triads	A major triad chords, A minor triad chords, A harmonic minor chords, A melodic minor chords
Scale 7ths	A major 7th chords, A minor 7th chords, A harmonic minor 7th chords, A melodic minor 7th chords
Triad modes	A ionian, A dorian, A phrygian, A lydian, A mixolydian, aeolian, A locrian
7th modes	A ionian, A dorian, A phrygian, A lydian, A mixolydian, aeolian, A locrian
Cadences	A major perfect authentic, A major imperfect authentic, A major plagal, A major half, A major deceptive