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Message: <blockquote data-quote="lydian" data-source="post: 486110" data-attributes="member: 8392">He said keys with no sharps or flats in their NAME. The name of F is just the letter F. The name of Eb is the letter E and the b symbol. In other words there is a flat in the name Eb. Again, obvious when you look at the circle but confusing when it’s described in words. Get a picture of the circle and study it.I bet you already know the circle and don’t realize it. For example, how would you know what sharps are in the key of B if you didn’t already know the sequence F# C# G# D# A# which is in the circle?Just as much as multiplication tables are fundamental to maths, the circle is fundamental to keys. Every reading musician must memorize this fundamental thing. Thinking of it as a circle works for most people, but if a line or sequence works better for you, then think of it that way. It’s just a way to organize and relate keys to one another in a way that’s easy to remember and understand. Since it is just 5ths (or 4ths in the opposite direction), it's sufficient to be able to find the next note a 5th away, i.e., F to C is a 5th, C to G is a 5th, G to D is a 5th and so on. Memorizing these (picturing the circle in your mind) lets you skip the step of walking up the scale to the 5th, which would be analogous to counting when doing addition rather than relying on memorization of simple sums.</blockquote>