Chapter 4
This section covers the major keys for the remaining four black tonic notes.
When the tonic of a major key moves from a white key to a flat (♭) position, the sharp (♯) positions move to white keys, and the white keys move to flat (♭) positions.
Rule for Identifying Flat (♭) Key Signatures
Subtract the corresponding white tonic keyboard position value from seven.
The result is the number of flats (♭) in the key signature.
For example - D has a Keyboard Value of 2
7-2= 5
Therefore: D♭ Major has 5 ♭ notes
Note Recognition
As the number of flats in the key signature increases, start adding flats from the highest keyboard position (5) and move incrementally to lower positions.
Major Fourth and Major Fifth note recognition for major keys
The tonic is the reference point.
The major fourth (subdominant) is one position lower in its flat (♭) position
The major fifth (dominant) is one position higher in its flat (♭) position.
Example Shown is for D♭ Major - however, they all work according to the same rule.
Chords
The third note of a chord will be one value higher than the root note value.
Example Shown is for D♭ Major - however, they all work on the same rule