PINE VIEW HIGH SCHOOL CHORAL & VOCAL MUSIC
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      • 2019 - 2020 Concert Recordings >
        • Christmas Concert (December 18, 2019)
        • Handbells First Quarter Videos 2019
        • Fall Concert (October 16, 2019)
      • 2018 - 2019 Concert Recordings >
        • State Choir (May 11, 2019)
        • Region Choir (April 3, 2019)
        • NAU Jazz Mad 2019
        • Fall Concert (October 17, 2018)
        • Christmas Concert (December 18, 2018)
      • 2017 - 2018 Concert Recordings >
        • Spring Concert and Awards (May 16, 2018)
        • State S&E and Choir (April 28 and May 12, 2018)
        • Festivals and Chamber Concert (May 1 & 2, 2018)
        • NAU Jazz / Mad (February 10, 2018)
        • Christmas Concert (December 13, 2017)
        • Fall Concert (October 4, 2017)
      • 2016 - 2017 Concert Recordings >
        • Spring Concert (May 16, 2017)
        • State Solo & Ensemble (April 28, 2017)
        • Christmas Concert (December 15, 2016)
        • Fall Choir Concert (Sept 28, 2016)
      • 2015 - 2016 Concert Recordings >
        • Festivals Concert 2016
        • State Choir 2016
        • NAU Jazz / Mad 2016
        • SUPAF 2016
        • Christmas Concert (Dec 16, 2015)
        • Fall Concert (Sept 30, 2015)
      • 2014 - 2015 Concert Recordings >
        • State Choir, May 16, 2015
        • Spring Concert, May 13, 2015
        • Combined with DSU at Eccles, April 29, 2015
        • State Solo and Ensemble, April 25, 2015
        • Festivals Concert, April 22, 2015
        • Region Large Choir, April 8, 2015
        • Region Solo and Ensemble -- March 18, 2015
        • Combined with MMHS at Eccels March 25, 2015
        • Take Note! January 28, 2015
        • Christmas Concert Dec. 3 2014
        • Fall Concert 2014 (High School)
        • Fall Concert 2014 (Middle School)
      • 2013 - 2014 Concert Recordings >
        • Graduation May 22, 2014
        • CA Trip National Anthem April 12, 2014
        • State Large Choir May 9, 2014
        • State Solo & Ensemble April 26 2014
        • DSU Ladies Choir Festival April 1, 2014
        • Region Large Choir 2014
        • Green Valley Chamber Invitational March 21, 2014
        • Take Note Concert, January 31, 2014
        • Washington All-County Honor Choir 2014
        • 2013 Christmas Concert
        • The King and I PVHS Live Cast Recording 2013
        • 2013 Fall Concert
      • 2012 - 2013 Concert Recordings >
        • 2013 NAU Jazz / Mad Festival
        • 2013 Region Choir Festival
        • 2013 Festivals Concert
        • 2013 State Solo and Ensemble (Highlights)
        • 2013 Chamber Concert (SG Tabernacle)
      • 2011 - 2012 Concert Recordings >
        • 2012 NAU Jazz / Mad Festival
        • 2012 CD "This Train"
    • Past CD Recordings >
      • 2009 - 2010 CD Recording
      • 2006 - 2007 CD Recording
      • 2001 - 2002 CD Recording
      • 1994 - 1995 CD Recording
    • Utah All-State and Honor Choir Recordings >
      • 2017 All-State Choir (Ryan Murphy) and 2018 Honor Choir
      • 2016 All-State and Honor Choir
      • 2015-16 All-State and Honor Choir
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      • 2009 Utah All-State Choir, James Jordan
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    • All-State Choir >
      • 2014 All-State Choir
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      • 2017 UMEA Honor Choir
      • 2016 UMEA Honor Choir
      • 2015 Utah Honor Choir
    • WCSD Honor Choir >
      • 2016 WCSD Honor Choir
      • 2014 WCSD Honor Choir
      • 2015 WCSD Middle School Select Choir
    • CATS: Musical Resources
    • Music Stores and Solo Books
  • What's New?
  • SUPAF Choir (February 11, 2020)

Major and Minor Key Signatures and Identification

Picture
Q.  How do I know if I am using a major or a minor key?
A.  Generally you observe the starting and ending notes (and sometimes the entire chords).  These will generally indicate the type of tonality (major or minor) being used.

Major Key Signatures
  • If you begin on C and play up or down the scale and don't play any "black keys," you have a major scale.
  • Here is how you identify which major scale you are using according to the key signature:
  1. No sharps or flats in the key signature is C-Major.
  2. One flat in the key signature is F-Major.
  3. One sharp in the key signature is G-Major.
  4. If there are two or more flats, identify the penultimate flat (second to the last flat) and that is the key.  For example, if there are three flats, they are B-flat, E-flat and A-flat.  The second to the last flat is E-flat.  This is the key of Eb-Major.
  5. If there are two or more sharps, identify the last sharp.  Move up one step (to the next space or line) and that is the key.  For example, if there are four sharps, they are F-sharp, C-sharp, G-sharp, D-sharp.  One step above the D-sharp is E.  This is the key of E-Major.


Minor Key Signatures
  • Each major key has a relative natural minor key.  That is, a minor key which has the same number of sharps or flats as the major key.
  • For example, A-Minor has the same key signature as C-Major.  If you don't play any of the "black keys" and start on A (instead of C) you will play a natural A-minor.
  1. From a key signature, identify the Major key.  If the beginning note(s) and/or ending note(s) and/or chord(s) are minor or start three half-steps below the major keynote, you are probably in a minor key. 
  2. Read down three piano "half-steps" from the major key.  This is the relative minor key.
  3. For example, if I know that the song is in a minor key and the key signature indicates F-Major, I count down three piano half-steps (from F to E, from E to Eb, from Eb to D) and find the piece in D-Minor.
  4. D-Minor and F-Major have the same key signature.

  • Calendar
  • Events
    • Japanese Hosting
    • Utah All-State Choir
    • Take Note!
    • Utah State Honor Choir
    • Singing Valentines >
      • Singing Valentines Contact Page
    • SUPAF
    • Solo and Ensemble Festivals
    • State Large Choir Festival
  • Media
    • Rehearsal Recordings
    • Photos
    • Concert Recordings >
      • 2019 - 2020 Concert Recordings >
        • Christmas Concert (December 18, 2019)
        • Handbells First Quarter Videos 2019
        • Fall Concert (October 16, 2019)
      • 2018 - 2019 Concert Recordings >
        • State Choir (May 11, 2019)
        • Region Choir (April 3, 2019)
        • NAU Jazz Mad 2019
        • Fall Concert (October 17, 2018)
        • Christmas Concert (December 18, 2018)
      • 2017 - 2018 Concert Recordings >
        • Spring Concert and Awards (May 16, 2018)
        • State S&E and Choir (April 28 and May 12, 2018)
        • Festivals and Chamber Concert (May 1 & 2, 2018)
        • NAU Jazz / Mad (February 10, 2018)
        • Christmas Concert (December 13, 2017)
        • Fall Concert (October 4, 2017)
      • 2016 - 2017 Concert Recordings >
        • Spring Concert (May 16, 2017)
        • State Solo & Ensemble (April 28, 2017)
        • Christmas Concert (December 15, 2016)
        • Fall Choir Concert (Sept 28, 2016)
      • 2015 - 2016 Concert Recordings >
        • Festivals Concert 2016
        • State Choir 2016
        • NAU Jazz / Mad 2016
        • SUPAF 2016
        • Christmas Concert (Dec 16, 2015)
        • Fall Concert (Sept 30, 2015)
      • 2014 - 2015 Concert Recordings >
        • State Choir, May 16, 2015
        • Spring Concert, May 13, 2015
        • Combined with DSU at Eccles, April 29, 2015
        • State Solo and Ensemble, April 25, 2015
        • Festivals Concert, April 22, 2015
        • Region Large Choir, April 8, 2015
        • Region Solo and Ensemble -- March 18, 2015
        • Combined with MMHS at Eccels March 25, 2015
        • Take Note! January 28, 2015
        • Christmas Concert Dec. 3 2014
        • Fall Concert 2014 (High School)
        • Fall Concert 2014 (Middle School)
      • 2013 - 2014 Concert Recordings >
        • Graduation May 22, 2014
        • CA Trip National Anthem April 12, 2014
        • State Large Choir May 9, 2014
        • State Solo & Ensemble April 26 2014
        • DSU Ladies Choir Festival April 1, 2014
        • Region Large Choir 2014
        • Green Valley Chamber Invitational March 21, 2014
        • Take Note Concert, January 31, 2014
        • Washington All-County Honor Choir 2014
        • 2013 Christmas Concert
        • The King and I PVHS Live Cast Recording 2013
        • 2013 Fall Concert
      • 2012 - 2013 Concert Recordings >
        • 2013 NAU Jazz / Mad Festival
        • 2013 Region Choir Festival
        • 2013 Festivals Concert
        • 2013 State Solo and Ensemble (Highlights)
        • 2013 Chamber Concert (SG Tabernacle)
      • 2011 - 2012 Concert Recordings >
        • 2012 NAU Jazz / Mad Festival
        • 2012 CD "This Train"
    • Past CD Recordings >
      • 2009 - 2010 CD Recording
      • 2006 - 2007 CD Recording
      • 2001 - 2002 CD Recording
      • 1994 - 1995 CD Recording
    • Utah All-State and Honor Choir Recordings >
      • 2017 All-State Choir (Ryan Murphy) and 2018 Honor Choir
      • 2016 All-State and Honor Choir
      • 2015-16 All-State and Honor Choir
      • 2014-15 All-State and Honor Choir
      • 2009 Utah All-State Choir, James Jordan
  • The Choirs
    • Concert Choir >
      • Readings
      • Evaluation Media
    • Trilogy >
      • Trilogy Audition Page
      • About Trilogy
      • 2017 - 2018 Trilogy
      • 2016 - 2017 Trilogy
      • 2015 - 2016 Trilogy
      • 2014 - 2015 Trilogy
      • Trilogy Policies and Procedures
      • Trilogy: Current Members
      • Trilogy: The Ancestors
    • Triumph!
    • Les Chanteurs
    • Men's Choir
    • Handbell Choir
    • Auditions
    • Outfitting
  • Class Sites
    • Choir Assignments
    • Trilogy Class Site >
      • Trilogy Class Site
      • Twa Tanbou Resources
    • AP Music Theory
    • Handbells
    • Music 1010
  • Awards and Progress
    • Power in Progress
    • 2013 - 2014 Awards
    • 2012 - 2013 Awards
  • About Us / Contact Us
    • About PV and the Choirs
    • About the Choir Council
    • About the Director
    • Contact Us
  • Resources
    • Into the Woods Resources
    • Music Sterling Scholar
    • All-State Choir >
      • 2014 All-State Choir
      • 2013 All-State Choir
    • UMEA Honor Choir >
      • 2017 UMEA Honor Choir
      • 2016 UMEA Honor Choir
      • 2015 Utah Honor Choir
    • WCSD Honor Choir >
      • 2016 WCSD Honor Choir
      • 2014 WCSD Honor Choir
      • 2015 WCSD Middle School Select Choir
    • CATS: Musical Resources
    • Music Stores and Solo Books
  • What's New?
  • SUPAF Choir (February 11, 2020)