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During Thomases lesson with his teacher yesterday, she told him to write something down and for the life of me, I dont understand it so I am hoping someone can explain it to me. Thomas told me "She is telling me the flats and sharps" but that is all he said. It just doesnt make sense. I even told him that you can make any notes flat or sharp but just kept saying "I dont know what to tell you Dad".
She told him to write down the flats...BEADGCF and even put it in a sentence to remember, which I dont remember what it was now. She then told him to always remember that the sharps are the same letters, just backwards...FCGDAEB and to remember it by saying "Fat Cats Go Downstairs And Eats Breakfast".
What on earth is she talking about?
Jim(Thomases Dad)
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She's talking about the orders of sharps and flats in key signatures. When you see a certain number of sharps or a certain number of flats in the key signature, they're always added in that order. It makes sense if you consider of the relationships between keys:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/....._of_fifths
The mnemonic I prefer is "Father Charles Goes Down And Ends Battle" for sharps, and "Battle Ends And Down Goes Charles' Father" for flats. It's the same words for both, just reversed.
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@AndrewH Well, I'll be darned!!! I was never taught that when I was a kid(or i just plain forgot). my dad just made me memorize it by looking at it. Thank you very much
Jim(Thomases Dad)
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@JimandThomas -
"Fat Cats Go Downstairs And Eats Breakfast"
🤣 LOVE IT!!!
I'd love to know the Mnemonic for the flats, too!
I've become much more interested in the Circle of 5th this past year, not only because of how chords and chord progressions relate to it, but also modes.
...and the order of 5th's around the circle also shows the order of sharps & flats in the key signature.
But, to be perfectly honest, I still rely on my chart alot. I've only memorized 2/3's of them - because of my strings. Since I've been using a low F string this last 8 months, it's easy for me to visualize them (F,C,G,D,A and E) - and then the potential Bb & B on either side. Guess I just don't have the last 4 (of the circle) in front of my face enough.
I might be able to remember the cats! 😊
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HAH, wish I could use chat but I came in to ask a very similar question. I am supposed to play an E flat. Would that be the same as a D sharp or are they different tones all together?
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E flat and D sharps would be the same note on a piano key board, so I would think it would be anywhere else? I am not that knowledgeable of music theory, so take it with a grain of salt, or a slab of salt, 😂
With scales and keys, even though they are the same nite, there is probably some confusing explanation, but they are the same note.
🐭
Edited by Mouse to clarify
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Ripton said
HAH, wish I could use chat but I came in to ask a very similar question. I am supposed to play an E flat. Would that be the same as a D sharp or are they different tones all together?
@Ripton ,
Mouse is correct. E flat and D sharp are the same pitch.
The key signature would determine which designation you would use. For example, in the key of B flat, which contains B flat and E flat, the pitch would be called E flat. In the key of E major, which contains F sharp, C sharp, G sharp, and D sharp, the pitch would be called D sharp.
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They may or may not be the same pitch, depending on context.
They're the same pitch in equal temperament, and you will generally play them as the same pitch if performing with a piano. However, they may not be the same pitch if you are playing in just intonation, which is often (but not always) done when playing unaccompanied or in ensembles without piano. (That said, ensemble playing generally involves compromises between equal temperament and just intonation.) But temperament is a more advanced topic, and can easily explode into pages and pages of discussion of specific situations. In general, you can treat then as the same pitch and you'll be close enough.
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thanks all. I am trying to improve my intonation by using a digital tuner while playing notes (eek, I know) and the tuner will only show sharps, never a flat.
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Ripton
I use an app on my phone called, intonia, which was made for string players, the free version is just equal temperamant how ever the paid version give you the choice of equal temperament, just and pathagorean temperamant.
Good for checking your self if you don't think something is in tune.
Mark
Master the Frog and you have mastered the bow.
Albert Sammons
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