B-sharp major key signature

The Solution below shows the B# major 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.

Major key signature keys
KeyCC#DbDD#EbEE#FbFF#GbGG#AbAA#BbB[B#]CbAll On 1 page

Solution

1. B-sharp major key signature

This step shows the B# major scale key signature on the treble clef and bass clef.

The B-sharp major scale has 2 sharps, 5 double-sharps.

Warning: The B-sharp key is a theoretical major scale key.

This means:

> Its key signature would contain either double-sharps or double flats.

> It is rarely used in practice, because it is too complex to use.

> It is not on the Circle of fifths diagram, which contains the most commonly used keys.

> There is always an identical major scale that you can use in its place, which is on the Circle of 5ths.

> The C major scale sounds the same / contains the same note pitches, which are played in the same order (the scales are enharmonic), so it can be used as a direct replacement for the B-sharp major scale.

B-sharp major scale has 2 sharps, 5 double-sharps
No.12345678
NoteB#C##D##E#F##G##A##B#

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

B-sharp major key signature

B-sharp major key signature

bass clef icon  Bass Clef
treble clef icon  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 icon  Bass Clef
treble clef icon  Treble Clef

2. B-sharp major scale 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 B-sharp major scale has 2 sharps, 5 double-sharps.

B-sharp major scale has 2 sharps, 5 double-sharps
No.12345678
NoteB#C##D##E#F##G##A##B#

B-sharp major scale

To understand why the B-sharp major scale has 2 sharps, 5 double-sharps, have a look at the B# major scale page, which shows how to identify the note positions and names for this scale.

Since this is a none-based key signature, the music theory rules for constructing key signatures containing nones are covered in the next step.

bass clef icon  Bass Clef
treble clef icon  Treble Clef

Related Keys and Topics