C♭ Major Key Signature

C♭ major has 7 flats — B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭, C♭, F♭. Here's the signature on the staff, the full scale, its relative minor, and the trick to recognize it instantly.

key signature with 7 flats
Accidentals
7 flats — B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭, C♭, F♭
Major scale
C♭, D♭, E♭, F♭, G♭, A♭, B♭
Relative minor
A♭ minor
Tonic
C♭

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Reading the C♭ Major signature

In any flat key the second-to-last flat names the key. C♭ major's flats are B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭, C♭, F♭, so the second-to-last, C♭, is the tonic — C♭ major.

The C♭ Major scale

The C♭ major scale runs C♭, D♭, E♭, F♭, G♭, A♭, B♭. Every flattened note in the piece takes the key's accidentals automatically, which is exactly what the signature saves you from writing note by note.

C♭ Major and its relative minor

C♭ major shares its signature — 7 flats — with its relative minor, A♭ minor, a minor third below the tonic. They use the same seven pitches; what tells them apart is which note the music settles on and treats as home.

Neighboring keys on the circle of fifths

C♭ Major — frequently asked

How many sharps or flats does C♭ major have?

C♭ major has 7 flats — B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭, C♭, F♭.

What is the relative minor of C♭ major?

The relative minor of C♭ major is A♭ minor — it shares the identical key signature (7 flats).

What notes are in the C♭ major scale?

The C♭ major scale is C♭, D♭, E♭, F♭, G♭, A♭, B♭.

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