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Music Theory

Order of Sharps and Flats

The order of sharps and flats in a key signature is always the same: the sharps follow the sequence F C G D A E B and the flats follow the reverse order, B E A D G C F. Writing the accidentals in any other order is considered a spelling mistake in music notation. The order is not arbitrary: it comes from the circle of fifths, so that each new key adds one accidental at the end of the sequence. Below you will find the full order, how each key signature is written on the staff (UK: stave) and a trick to memorize it.

Order of sharps: F C G D A E B

The sharps appear one at a time, always in this order, going up by perfect 5th each time:

  1. F♯
  2. C♯
  3. G♯
  4. D♯
  5. A♯
  6. E♯
  7. B♯

Here is each sharp key signature written on the staff, from 1 to 7 sharps (treble clef):

Key signature with 1 sharp in treble clef: F♯. The name of each accidental is written below it.
Key signature with 2 sharps in treble clef: F♯, C♯. The name of each accidental is written below it.
Key signature with 3 sharps in treble clef: F♯, C♯, G♯. The name of each accidental is written below it.
Key signature with 4 sharps in treble clef: F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯. The name of each accidental is written below it.
Key signature with 5 sharps in treble clef: F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯, A♯. The name of each accidental is written below it.
Key signature with 6 sharps in treble clef: F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯, A♯, E♯. The name of each accidental is written below it.
Key signature with 7 sharps in treble clef: F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯, A♯, E♯, B♯. The name of each accidental is written below it.

Order of flats: B E A D G C F

The flats follow exactly the reverse order of the sharps, going down by fifths:

  1. B♭
  2. E♭
  3. A♭
  4. D♭
  5. G♭
  6. C♭
  7. F♭

And here is each flat key signature on the staff, from 1 to 7 flats (treble clef):

Key signature with 1 flat in treble clef: B♭. The name of each accidental is written below it.
Key signature with 2 flats in treble clef: B♭, E♭. The name of each accidental is written below it.
Key signature with 3 flats in treble clef: B♭, E♭, A♭. The name of each accidental is written below it.
Key signature with 4 flats in treble clef: B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭. The name of each accidental is written below it.
Key signature with 5 flats in treble clef: B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭. The name of each accidental is written below it.
Key signature with 6 flats in treble clef: B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭, C♭. The name of each accidental is written below it.
Key signature with 7 flats in treble clef: B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭, C♭, F♭. The name of each accidental is written below it.

A trick to memorize it

You do not need to memorize fourteen accidentals: one sequence and its reverse are enough.

  • Sharps (F C G D A E B). Use the saying "Father Charles Goes Down And Ends Battle". Each letter is a perfect 5th above the one before it.
  • Flats (B E A D G C F). It is the same sequence read backwards ("Battle Ends And Down Goes Charles's Father"; the first four letters also spell BEAD). If you know the order of the sharps, you already know the order of the flats: just reverse it.

The underlying reason is the circle of fifths: sharps keep going up by fifths and flats keep going down by fifths. That is why the order never changes.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the order of the sharps?
The fixed order of the sharps is F♯, C♯, G♯, D♯, A♯, E♯, B♯. You can memorize it with the saying "Father Charles Goes Down And Ends Battle". Each key with sharps adds the next one in this sequence, and it never changes.
What is the order of the flats?
The order of the flats is the reverse of the sharps: B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭, C♭, F♭. You can remember it as "Battle Ends And Down Goes Charles’s Father". Each key with flats adds the next one in this list.
Why is the order of sharps and flats always the same?
Because it comes from the circle of fifths. Sharps appear going up by fifths (F, C, G, D…) and flats going down by fifths (B, E, A, D…). That regularity makes the order invariable.
How can I memorize the order of the sharps quickly?
The most common trick is a saying such as "Father Charles Goes Down And Ends Battle". For the flats, simply read it backwards: "Battle Ends And Down Goes Charles’s Father". Another help: each letter of F–C–G–D–A–E–B is a fifth above the one before it.