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Art & music · Grades 8–12

Key signatures and relative minors

Study guide for Grades 8 to 12: 2 worked examples and 2 practice questions. Each major key shares its key signature with a relative minor three semitones lower. Sharps and flats are always added in a fixed order.

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Rule and key idea

Each major key shares its key signature with a relative minor three semitones lower. Sharps and flats are always added in a fixed order.

sharps: F C G D A E B · flats: B E A D G C F

Worked examples

What is the relative minor of E major?

Count down three semitones from E: the relative minor is C♯ minor.

C♯ minor

What is the relative minor of C major?

Count down three semitones from C: the relative minor is A minor.

A minor

Try two questions

  1. How many flats are in the key signature of E♭ major?

  2. How many flats are in the key signature of G♭ major?

Answers and reasoning

Answers and marking notes
  1. 3

    E♭ major has 3 flats.

  2. 6

    G♭ major has 6 flats.

How this page was made: written for StudyBrix with AI assistance from our own templates. Answers and worked examples are checked by automated tests, and grade bands are approximate, not an official curriculum alignment. See the editorial policy for corrections. Editorial policy