Key Signature Memorisation

I have little mental techniques for memorising key signatures. They basically involve seeing them as little pictures which make them more unique and indistinguishable from each other. For instance, the A major looks like an upside down A. The F# major looks light two jets flying downward, so in my head it's F#ghter Planes. The C# one looks like waves on the sea so See Ships/C-Sharp (sound association). Others are more like constellations where the letter is imprinted on the signature. E and B loosely place over the shape of them. The closest i can describe it is like it's some form of Synesthesia.

Scale speed growing exercise

So we all know that scales are ok but once you get to a certain speed then it's like your body hits a wall and it's physically impossible to move that fast.

I learn't this technique when watching a John Petrucci guitar video. The trick is to start off slow. And I mean slooooooooooooooowwwwwwwwwwww.

Basically what you are doing is programming you brain. It's tricking yourself into doing it. If you try to sit down, set the metronome at 200 bpm and try an a major scale for the first time, then most people won't be able to do it.

So here's what you do....

Scale memorisation technique

Here is how I learn scales.

I first memorise the pattern on the keyboard. I have my own personal memorisation system.

So the major key is a progression of Root, Tone, Tone, Semi-tone, Tone, Tone, Tone, Semi-Tone to bring you back to the octave.

So depending on what key you are in, you need to introduce sharps and flats to keep that same pattern in each key.


How to memorise what sharps and flats you need? Like this.....

I'll show it in the circle of fifths, as most are familiar with it but it's not necessary for learning these patterns. But don't let that stop you from learning it. It's helpful for remembering the order in which they appear. Its a system of lines and 'bumps' for showing where the shaprs and flats appear and also for nice grouping into two TTS TTTS groups.

C no sharps

G has an F sharp

so
                   f#
_ _ _ _    _ _ /¯\ _

There you  go. It's broken up into white keys and black keys. The scales can be broken down into these diagrams to remember the shape they make on the keyboard.

D
      c#           f#
_ _ /¯\ _    _ _ /¯\_


and so on..........