Definitions for key signature
key sig·na·ture

Princeton's WordNetRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. key signature, signaturenoun

   the sharps or flats that follow the clef and indicate the key

WiktionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. key signaturenoun

   An indication of the key of a composition, giving the number of sharps or flats in the corresponding scale.

WikipediaRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Key signature

   In Western musical notation, a key signature is a set of sharp (♯), flat (♭), or rarely, natural (♮) symbols placed on the staff at the beginning of a section of music. The initial key signature in a piece is placed immediately after the clef at the beginning of the first line. If the piece contains a section in a different key, the new key signature is placed at the beginning of that section. In a key signature, a sharp or flat symbol on a line or space of the staff indicates that the note represented by that line or space is to be played a semitone higher (sharp) or lower (flat) than it would otherwise be played. This applies through the end of the piece or until another key signature is indicated. Each symbol applies to all notes in the same pitch class—for example, a flat on the third line of the treble staff (as in the diagram) indicates that all notes appearing as Bs are played as B-flats. This convention was not universal until the late Baroque and early Classical period—music published in the 1720s and 1730s may have key signatures showing sharps or flats in both octaves for notes which fall within the staff.Most of this article addresses key signatures that represent the diatonic keys of Western music. These contain either flats or sharps, but not both, and the different key signatures add flats or sharps according to the order shown in the circle of fifths. Each major and minor key has an associated key signature, showing up to seven flats or seven sharps, that indicates the notes used in its scale. Music was sometimes notated with a key signature that did not match its key in this way—this can be seen in some Baroque pieces, or transcriptions of traditional modal folk tunes.

ChatGPTRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. key signature

   A key signature is a set of sharp, flat or natural symbols placed together on the staff in sheet music, at the beginning of the piece. It indicates the key in which the music is to be played by defining the set of notes that are to be played sharp or flat throughout the piece. It provides essential information for the performer about the tonality of the music: which notes to play as sharp, flat, or natural in the absence of specific accidentals next to these notes.

WikidataRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Key signature

   In musical notation, a key signature is a set of sharp or flat symbols placed together on the staff. Key signatures are generally written immediately after the clef at the beginning of a line of musical notation, although they can appear in other parts of a score, notably after a double barline. A key signature designates notes that are to be played higher or lower than the corresponding natural notes and applies through to the end of the piece or up to the next key signature. A sharp symbol on a line or space in the key signature raises the notes on that line or space one semitone above the natural, and a flat lowers such notes one semitone. Further, a symbol in the key signature affects all the notes of one letter: for instance, a sharp on the top line of the treble staff applies to F's not only on that line, but also to F's in the bottom space of the staff, and to any other F's. An accidental is an exception to the key signature, applying only in the measure in which it appears, and the choice of key signature can increase or decrease the need for accidentals. Although a key signature may be written using any combination of sharp and flat symbols, about a dozen diatonic key signatures are by far the most common, and their use is assumed in much of this article. A piece scored using a single diatonic key signature and no accidentals contains notes of at most seven of the twelve pitch classes, which seven being determined by the particular key signature.

Matched Categories

1. • Musical Notation

How to pronounce key signature?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say key signature in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of key signature in Chaldean Numerology is: 2

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of key signature in Pythagorean Numerology is: 2

Examples of key signature in a Sentence

1. Lu Ting:

   Although the PBOC recognises that downward pressure on growth is likely to rise in H2, it has been quite determined in containing financing for the property sector, which is a key signature of Beijing’s ‘dual circulation’ strategy.

References

1. ^ Princeton's WordNet
   http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=key signature
2. ^ Wiktionary
   https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Key_Signature
3. ^ Wikipedia
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Key_Signature
4. ^ ChatGPT
   https://chat.openai.com
5. ^ Wikidata
   https://www.wikidata.org/w/index.php?search=key signature