key signatures / minor tonality

So why do we use key signatures? Mostly to make the writing and reading of the written music easier. Music key signatures are like our own signatures, they identify what key the music is written in. Usually found at the start of the music, the 12 different key signatures can be inserted at any point in the music to facilitate notation of the ideas, thus ease the players ability to read and interpret the composers intentions.

A cool and common way to learn the key signatures for the natural minor tonality is to simply start with the minor key that doesn't need any accidentals ( sharps or flats ) to create the correct intervalic formula of the natural minor scale. Any guesses as to which key? Right, the key of A natural minor. Here is the interval formula and pitches using A as the root. Example 1.

Here is the sound of this grouping of pitches. Example 1a.

Well, that's one key, 11 to go yes? Perhaps the logical step in figuring out the other 11 keys will be to discern which key has one accidental? Lets do the sharps (#) first. Any ideas on how these key signatures of the natural minor tonality are perfectly organized within the equal tempered system? Right, the cycle of fifths. This cycle simply implies moving from one key center to another by the interval of a perfect fifth. So, what pitch is a perfect fifth from the pitch A? Is it the fifth scale degree of the A minor scale? Yes it is and from the chart above we can see that it is the pitch named E. Lets create the chart above again, this time using the pitch E as our root to create a natural minor scale. Example 2.

Here is the sound of the above group of pitches. Example 2a.

So to create the correct intervalic distance of the natural minor scale from the root E, we needed to use one sharp, on the second degree. Cool with this? Following the logic, if we move a fifth from E will we create a natural minor scale with 2 sharps? Well, lets try. What is the fifth degree of E natural minor? B right? Here is the chart. Example 3.

Well, 2 sharps are needed, but that really wasn't a surprise eh? Just kidding. Did you notice that we used the sharp from the key of E and included it in the key of B and that our new sharp again appeared on the 2nd scale degree? 'Tis a very important concept for the emerging theorist. That as we move around the cycle of fifths, we accumulate sharps and carry them along as we move through the keys. Really? Yep. Lets do one more key then move on. What is the fifth degree of B natural minor? Ya mon, F#. Here is the chart. Example 4.

Got the hang of this? Cool. What about flats ( b )? Well, what if we were to move around a cycle of fourths instead of fifths? Confused? Sorry, but we can clear it up in a jiffy. Lets go back to the key of A natural minor and move in perfect fourths. Here is the chart from above. Example 5.

So, up a perfect fourth you say, yep. What is the fourth degree of the A natural minor scale? D right? Cool, lets create a natural minor scale using the pitch D for the root. Example 6.

Well yonder behold, we got a flat! Sorry, fortunately it is in the key, not the tire. So to correctly create this color on the pitch D, we need one flat, which appears on the sixth scale degree yes? Should we move up a fourth from D and see what happens? Sure. The fourth degree of the D natural minor scale is G eh? Here is the chart to create this cool and important color on the root G. Example 7.

Is a bigger picture of how these keys and their key signatures are organized emerging? Lets do one more move by perfect fourth then tie it all together. The fourth scale degree of G is C yes? Here is the chart. Example 8.

Easy enough huh? Can we create a picture of this process that will include all 12 of the natural minor scales / keys? Of course, we have everything here. Theorists call this picture representing the keys the cycle of fifths. Here are the 12 keys of the natural minor tonality arranged clockwise on cycle of fifths. Example 9.

So, basically the key signatures help to "unclutter" the notation by placing diatonic accidentals at the beginning of the music. Here are the 12 natural minor scales written out in standard notation using key signatures. Example 11.

One sure way to put a key on the musical map so to speak, is to learn a song, or a part of which, is written in that key. Although any song can be in any key, (i.e., work with a vocalist?) the following choices are paired with the keys that these compositions are most commonly found in real books. Let the list of jazz compositions in the minor tonality begin! 

All of these tunes listed above are basically created in the minor tonal environment. There is just so many cool tunes to learn. Do begin a written list of tunes you know and ones to be learned.

Where to next?

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"It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog." Mark Twain