JPF Home Page Forums Musician Gear and Techniques Music Theory and Education Memory trick for flat keys

The flat keys are F Bb Eb Ab Db Gb and Cb

To determine how many flats there are in a scale, you need to memorize two sentences.


Fat Boys Eat And Doctors Go Crazy


This tells you how many flats are in the key.

If you want to know, for example, the key of Ab, You say: Fat Boys Eat And

You have four flats.

To find which flats they are, memorize:


Boys Eat And Doctors Go Crazy Fast


We know Ab has four flats, they are: Boys Eat And Doctors...Bb Eb Ab and Db

That gives us Ab...Ab Bb C Db Eb F G Ab

Gee, I wonder how many of these little sayings are around? I learned them this way:

BEAD GCF (order of adding flats)
FCG DAEB (backwards for sharps)

...and the next to last flat is the key
four flats: BEAD (next to last flat is A)

...and the last sharp is a half-step lower than the key (like "ti" in solfeg).

four sharps: FCGD (half step up from D# is E)


Your way sounds easier.




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Larry
www.audibleresponse.com

Up we go.

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Mike Dunbar Music

bumperoo

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Mike Dunbar Music

Just remember..

"you can play in any flat once you get the key" (rimshot !)

Bob (Igotamillionof'em)Young

Actually I like Lwilliams way better. I guess because I have always used his rule for sharps.... Now I have one for the flats also. Thanks!

I can play the first note of every song ever written...( as long as you don't hold me to the original key )

I love it. When I get a request for a song I don't know, I usually say, "We'll play one that has a lot of the same notes in it."

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Mike Dunbar Music

Here's an oldie to bump.

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You have to practice improvisation. -Art Tatum

Mike Dunbar Music

bump