How to recognise the corresponding scale:
- for # key signatures, the final # is on the “Ti” of the scale: eg in the key of G, the final # is on F#; in the key of E, the final # is on D#
- for ♭ key signatures, the penultimate ♭ is on the “Do” of the scale: eg in the key of B♭, the penultimate ♭ is on the B♭; in the key of G♭, the penultimate ♭ is on the G♭
Most songs that we sing resolve either to the major chord indicated by the key signature or to the “relative minor” chord. The relative minor is the key based on the 6th (the La) of the major key. eg in the key of G, the relative minor is Em and the final chord would be Em; in the key of E, the final chord would be C#m.
Everything in one picture:
Peter, this is very helpful, thank you. When you say “penultimate”, do you mean nearest the bottom or nearest the top?
“Penultimate ♭” means the ♭ before last when reading from the left.