C, F, Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb, B, etc.(If you keep going you will eventually get back to C, but we don't need the whole circle.)
We know that C major has no sharps or flats, and F major has one flat, Bb. If you build scales on the other notes, you will find that Bb major has two flats, Bb and Eb.
Eb major has three flats, Bb, Eb, Ab.
Ab major has four flats, Bb, Eb, Ab, Db.
Db major has five flats, Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb.
Gb major has six flats, Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb, Cb.
Cb major (another name for B) has seven flats, Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb, Cb, Fb.
As you can see, the seven flats are the same order listed at the beginning of Part I of this article.
If you want to know the key of the piece just by looking at the flats, remember that the key is the next-to-last flat. So, if you see Bb, Eb, Ab, Db you know the key is Ab.
And now for the sharps:
If you start a circle of fifths on C and move up the keyboard, you will come up with the following sequence of notes:
C, G, D, A, E, B, F#, C# etc.(If you keep going you will eventually get back to C, but we don't need the whole circle.)
We know that C major has no sharps or flats, and G major has one sharp, F#. If you build scales on the other notes, you will find that D major has two sharps, F# and C#.
A major has three sharps, F#, C#, G#.
E major has four sharps, F#, C#, G#, D#.
B major has five sharps, F#, C#, G#, D#, A#.
F# major has six sharps, F#, C#, G#, D#, A#, E#.
C# major has seven sharps, F#, C#, G#, D#, A#, E#, B#.
As you can see, the seven sharps are the same order listed at the beginning of part I of this article.
If you want to know the key of the piece just by looking at the sharps, remember that the key is one half-step above the last sharp. So, if you see F#, C#, G# you know the key is A.
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