<P> The use of a one - flat signature developed in the Medieval period, but signatures with more than one flat did not appear until the 16th century, and signatures with sharps not until the mid-17th century . </P> <P> When signatures with multiple flats first came in, the order of the flats was not standardized, and often a flat appeared in two different octaves, as shown at right . In the late 15th and early 16th centuries, it was common for different voice parts in the same composition to have different signatures, a situation called a partial signature or conflicting signature . This was actually more common than complete signatures in the 15th century . The 16th - century motet Absolon fili mi attributed to Josquin des Prez features two voice parts with two flats, one part with three flats, and one part with four flats . </P> <P> Baroque music written in minor keys often was written with a key signature with fewer flats than we now associate with their keys; for example, movements in C minor often had only two flats (because the A ♭ would frequently have to be sharpened to A ♮ in the ascending melodic minor scale, as would the B ♭). </P> <Table> <Tr> <Td> <Table> <Tr> <Th> Key signature </Th> <Th> Major key </Th> <Th> Minor key </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> no sharps or flats </Td> <Td> C major </Td> <Td> A minor </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Table> <Tr> <Th> Key signature </Th> <Th> Added ♯ </Th> <Th> Major key </Th> <Th> Minor key </Th> <Th> Key signature </Th> <Th> Added ♭ </Th> <Th> Major key </Th> <Th> Minor key </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1 sharp </Td> <Td> F ♯ </Td> <Td> G major </Td> <Td> E minor </Td> <Td> 1 flat </Td> <Td> B ♭ </Td> <Td> F major </Td> <Td> D minor </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2 sharps </Td> <Td> C ♯ </Td> <Td> D major </Td> <Td> B minor </Td> <Td> 2 flats </Td> <Td> E ♭ </Td> <Td> B ♭ major </Td> <Td> G minor </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 3 sharps </Td> <Td> G ♯ </Td> <Td> A major </Td> <Td> F ♯ minor </Td> <Td> 3 flats </Td> <Td> A ♭ </Td> <Td> E ♭ major </Td> <Td> C minor </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 4 sharps </Td> <Td> D ♯ </Td> <Td> E major </Td> <Td> C ♯ minor </Td> <Td> 4 flats </Td> <Td> D ♭ </Td> <Td> A ♭ major </Td> <Td> F minor </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 5 sharps </Td> <Td> A ♯ </Td> <Td> B major </Td> <Td> G ♯ minor </Td> <Td> 5 flats </Td> <Td> G ♭ </Td> <Td> D ♭ major </Td> <Td> B ♭ minor </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 6 sharps </Td> <Td> E ♯ </Td> <Td> F ♯ major </Td> <Td> D ♯ minor </Td> <Td> 6 flats </Td> <Td> C ♭ </Td> <Td> G ♭ major </Td> <Td> E ♭ minor </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 7 sharps </Td> <Td> B ♯ </Td> <Td> C ♯ major </Td> <Td> A ♯ minor </Td> <Td> 7 flats </Td> <Td> F ♭ </Td> <Td> C ♭ major </Td> <Td> A ♭ minor </Td> </Tr> </Table> </Td> </Tr> </Table>

Where does the composer place a key signature on the musical staff or the grand staff