Key signature names and translations

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

When a particular musical key or key signature is not described in the English language, there are two main systems that are used instead:

  1. Fixed do solmization - used in Italian and French key references.
  2. German key notation - used in German key references.

To construct a key description, locate the note name from the pitch translation table and append a major/minor alteration from the lower table where required.

Note that the 'major' alteration is usually superfluous, as a key description missing an alteration is invariably assumed to be major.

For example, to describe Bach's Mass in B minor one could use:

  • B minor (English)
  • Si mineur (French)
  • H moll (German)
  • Si minore (Italian)
  • Si menor (Spanish)

In the German notation scheme, a hyphen is sometimes added between the pitch and the alteration—for example, D-dur—and due to its terse nature, the 'major' indicator, dur is invariably appended.

Pitch translation table
English French German Italian Spanish
C Ut C Do Do
C sharp Ut dièse Cis Do diesis Do sostenido
C flat Ut bémol Ces Do bemolle Do bemol
D Ré D Re Re
D sharp Ré dièse Dis Re diesis Re sostenido
D flat Ré bémol Des Re bemolle Re bemol
E Mi E Mi Mi
E sharp Mi dièse Eis Mi diesis Mi sostenido
E flat Mi bémol Es Mi bemolle Mi bemol
F Fa F Fa Fa
F sharp Fa dièse Fis Fa diesis Fa sostenido
F flat Fa bémol Fes Fa bemolle Fa bemol
G Sol G Sol Sol
G sharp Sol dièse Gis Sol diesis Sol sostenido
G flat Sol bémol Ges Sol bemolle Sol bemol
A La A La La
A sharp La dièse Ais La diesis La sostenido
A flat La bémol As La bemolle La bemol
B Si H Si Si
B sharp Si dièse His Si diesis Si sostenido
B flat Si bémol B Si bemolle Si bemol
Major/minor alteration
English French German Italian Spanish
major majeur Dur maggiore mayor
minor mineur Moll minore menor
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org../../../k/e/y/Key_signature_names_and_translations.html"
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