This is a common signature in popular music and popular with beginners because it is easy to play so read the explanation carefully so that you will always know how to interpret it in future and note how it differs from the key of C.?
This key signature contains one sharp.? This is always indicated at the beginning of the piece right after the Treble Clef.? The sharp sign is placed on the top line of the stave, which you know is F, indicating that every melody note F must be played as F sharp
The only exception to this rule is if a natural sign precedes the note F in any particular bar.? The natural sign only effects the F notes in that bar and all F notes after that bar must be automatically sharpened because of the influence of the key signature.
In a piece having the key signature of G, notes other than F might be sharpened or flattened in occasional bars according to the composer's wish.? Such notes would be marked accordingly in the particular bar effected.? The indication that ALL F's are to be sharpened is only given in the key signature, at the beginning.? It is necessary for you to take careful notice of the key signature before you start to play.?
Even after taking careful notice it is so very easy to forget as you proceed through the piece, particularly with any new piece you are learning, because you are concentrating hard on reading? the music and there is no sharp sign beside each F to remind you.? You will know you have made a mistake instantly because it will just not sound right.? To avoid this, while learning, why not read through the entire piece and mark each note that must be sharpened with a pencil, put a little plus sign above it so that every time you come across F you will be reminded that it must be sharpened because you are playing in the key of G.
Although the sharp sign is only written on the 5th line it also effects ALL other F notes.? The F note is sharpened whether it was on the 5th line of the stave or in the first space of the stave or on ledger lines above or below the stave.? Every F is sharpened.
Playing the scale of G will help you remember that in the Key of G, note F must be sharpened because if the note is not sharpened the scale sounds very wrong.? Try it without the sharp F and you will be convinced.?? Sing along with your Tonic Sol Far, Doh Ray Me etc. as you play and the significance of the F sharp will really sink in.?
The Scale of G
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?G is the TONIC or starting note.?
Note the appearance of the sharp sign on the 5th line.? This is the key signature of G.?
You will notice that the 1st, 3rd and 5th notes of this scale make up the chord of G Major, G, B, D.
The 8th note G is an octave (higher) than the 1st note G
Note where F# is on your fret board (refer to your chart if necessary).? You are going to play GABCDEF#G
The fingering for this scale is not the same as the scale of C so it will be necessary for you to practice it but remember that the F note must be sharpened because of the influence of the key signature.? Once you have got the ascending scale off pat try descending, then put them both together as in the previous example.?
The pentatonic scale is GABDEG.? You notice that the pentatonic always includes the triad notes being GBD in this case.? You can play the scale across the whole 6 strings, over 2 octaves and, in fact, you should as it is a good finger exercise but so much more when you begin to see how chords and scales fit together to add exceptional style to your playing.? Here is a tab for the pentatonic of G.
e-------------------------------------------0---3---
b-----------------------------------0---3-----------
g---------------------------0---2-------------------
d------------------0---2---------------------------
a----------0---2-----------------------------------
E------3------------------------------------------
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In this example the scale is played in what in known as the 'open' position.? When scales or chords take advantage of the open strings (in other words played close to the nut) they are said to be in the open position.? You can tell by the 0s above how many open strings are used in this scale.
Points to remember.?
The key signature only effects the notes written.? It does not effect the harmony notes which you may wish to add below a melody note nor does it change the name of notes in any chord.?
If you were playing in the key of G and had an A melody note with the F chord symbol for example, you know that you could add note F below the melody note as a harmony note.? In this case you must not sharpen the F note as there is no F sharp in the chord of F.? You would sound a discord.? Remember that sharps or flats in a key signature do not effect harmony notes and only makes a change to the written note.
Sharp or flat signs in every key signature change ALL the notes effected no matter where they are written in the stave.? The sharp in the G key signature is written on the 5th line of the stave which is F but it also effects any note F elsewhere on the stave.
In certain pieces, notes made sharp or flat by the key signature may be changed back to naturals in certain bars.? In such cases, the natural sign would be used (see lesson 4) to cancel the key signature temporarily.
