More Key Signatures (Up to 2–3 Sharps/Flats)
Extending key signatures to keys with two and three sharps or flats, and the fixed order the accidentals always appear in.
Explainer
Sharps and flats in a key signature always appear in a fixed order, never at random.
Sharps appear in this order: F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯, A♯, E♯, B♯.
Flats appear in the reverse order: B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭, C♭, F♭.
D major has two sharps (F♯, C♯). A major has three sharps (F♯, C♯, G♯). B♭ major has two flats (B♭, E♭). E♭ major has three flats (B♭, E♭, A♭).
F♯→C♯→G♯→D♯→A♯→E♯→B♯
Worked examples
Example 1
D major — two sharps
F♯ and C♯ — the first two sharps in the standard order.
Example 2
A major — three sharps
F♯, C♯ and G♯ — the first three sharps.
Example 3
B♭ major — two flats
B♭ and E♭ — the first two flats in the standard order.
Example 4
E♭ major — three flats
B♭, E♭ and A♭ — the first three flats.