major keys help

hey guys.

I was trying to memorize the major and minor keys. But I'm a little confused with the enharmonic keys such as C#/Db major. Written out they are c# d# e# f# g# a# b# and Db Eb F Gb Ab Bb c. and on the circle of fifths the minor would be Bb cuz there is no a# minor. So what does that mean? Is C# major a real key? I'm confused. Also is there 12 major keys, or 17 with the enharmonics? Please someone explain.

There is an A# minor, it's the same as Bb minor. There are twelve major keys.

enharmonic is just the word used to tell you that Db and C# are the same. Here is how you know the difference.


Let's take A major

A, B, C#, D, E, F#, G#, A (octave)

Now, let's look at F major

F, G, A, Bb, C, D, E, F (octave)

I could of said for F major, F, G, A, A#, C

However, this is not the conventional way of writing a scale. There will always be one of every note in the scale. Just as if you were to say, flat the Bb on emore half step, you don't say it's an A, it's a Bbb (B double flat), however,. the Bbb and A have the same sound and pitch, they are written as two different notes on the staff.


Same things goes for sharps. Hope this helps!