KVR Audio

Colonel Flashback · Post by **Colonel Flashback** » Sat Nov 12, 2005 12:29 pm

Does anyone know a program that tries to guess the key of a bunch of midi notes (and maybe names the chords)?
Or if not, maybe someone could tell me in which key this is?

click to enlarge

and here's 600kb wave file of the sequence:
http://s38.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=25X8 ... LYZD2SGAO5

tuzemec · Post by **tuzemec** » Sat Nov 12, 2005 12:56 pm

You can check out "NutChords". I'm using it all the time

Because I'm hella lame when it comes to chords and stuff...

Try this link. Or google for it.

mbncp · Post by **mbncp** » Sat Nov 12, 2005 1:39 pm

I made a plug that will detect chords and one that detects scales and root, but it's made with mfxscript (Cubase or Sonar only).
I may port them to vst-midi one day.

Colonel Flashback · Post by **Colonel Flashback** » Sat Nov 12, 2005 1:57 pm

thanks! anyone who'd like to name the key is still very welcome though...

mbncp · Post by **mbncp** » Sat Nov 12, 2005 1:59 pm

well, do you have the midi file somewhere ?

Colonel Flashback · Post by **Colonel Flashback** » Sat Nov 12, 2005 2:01 pm

DOH! Here it is:
http://s60.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=2Y7X ... KOHIUWNLO5

mbncp · Post by **mbncp** » Sat Nov 12, 2005 4:26 pm

Scale is one of
G Dorian
E Locrian
A# Lydian
F Major,Ionian
C Mixolydian
D Natural Minor,Aeolian
A Phrygian

or if we include that c#
A Flamenco

But I would go for a F major
The chords are Bb, C, Dm, C
IV V vi V in F Major

Code: Select all

I ii iii IV V vi VII
F Gm Am  Bb C Dm Edim

Now I could be all wrong

Colonel Flashback · Post by **Colonel Flashback** » Sat Nov 12, 2005 4:40 pm

Sounds good - thanks a lot! (Back to reading the ravenspiral guide for the 10th time...)

SWTrex · Post by **SWTrex** » Sat Nov 12, 2005 7:21 pm

One way I determine the key of a song is to end the song with the most "proper" sounding chord. For this clip, the "proper" sounding ending chord (for me), and what I believe the key is....is.....G minor.

SWTrex

Colonel Flashback · Post by **Colonel Flashback** » Sat Nov 12, 2005 8:38 pm

he he, the most "proper" sounding chord should be the tonic i guess. But G minor? That isn't even on the list above...anyway, thanks!

SWTrex · Post by **SWTrex** » Sat Nov 12, 2005 9:30 pm

Colonel Flashback wrote:he he, the most "proper" sounding chord should be the tonic i guess. But G minor? That isn't even on the list above...anyway, thanks!

Colonel-

I hold by my G-minor.

Here's your "list":

But I would go for a F major
The chords are Bb, C, Dm, C
IV V vi V in F Major

The Bb chord is really a Gm7 chord - note that the most dominant bass note is a G. (Even the Dm chord is really a Gm7 with an added 9th because of the G in the bass).

So then, (taking the Dm chord at face value) the chord progression is then Gmin, C, Dm, C - a classic I, IV, V, IV.

If the key is F, then where is your tonic in this sequence?

Try ending your song/sequence with an F. Does it sound right as a finishing chord? Not to me.

Cheers,
SWTrex

Colonel Flashback · Post by **Colonel Flashback** » Sat Nov 12, 2005 9:37 pm

Sorry! I was just trying to say that it goes over my head, not that you were wrong...(english isn't my first language)
Thanks a lot for your help and the analysis!

mbncp · Post by **mbncp** » Sat Nov 12, 2005 9:52 pm

> If the key is F, then where is your tonic in this sequence?
It's the first note of the sequence

In this 2 bars, we have the following notes:
C (Db) D E F G A Bb
The F Major scale is
C D E F G A Bb
The Bb Major (G minor) scale is
C D Eb F G A Bb

Now, again, I don't mind calling it G minor, but why ?

SWTrex · Post by **SWTrex** » Sun Nov 13, 2005 3:12 am

mbncp wrote:> If the key is F, then where is your tonic in this sequence?
It's the first note of the sequence

In this 2 bars, we have the following notes:
C (Db) D E F G A Bb
The F Major scale is
C D E F G A Bb
The Bb Major (G minor) scale is
C D Eb F G A Bb

Now, again, I don't mind calling it G minor, but why ?

You need to look past just the notes being played. (As an example, consider a sequence with C, F, C7, F - a common I, IV, I, IV progression in the key of C. There's a Bb in the C7 chord, but that doesn't mean it's in the key of F). You need to figure out which chords are being played.

There are several reasons that lead me to believe the sequence you've posted is in the key of G minor:
1) The dominant bass note is G. (The F that starts off the sequence is nothing more than a lead-in to the G - rather like a long grace note. Just as the Db is a lead-in note leading into the D following it).

2) When we look at the chords, there are 4 chords being played: In order, they are Gm7, C, Gm9, C. (The third chord could be considered Dm/G, which means D minor with a G bass). This is a I, IV, I, IV (or I, IV, V, IV) pattern - a common rock/blues progression.

3) Finally, and again, if you were to end the piece (in typical fashion), what chord would be the ending chord? G minor.

I hope this makes sense. (If there's anyone else out there that can explain it better, or refute my claim, please jump in.!

)

SWTrex

mbncp · Post by **mbncp** » Sun Nov 13, 2005 11:20 am

Ok with the Gm chord, but I feel it more 'natural' playing the G Dorian scale than the G Minor scale. That Eb just doesn't fit.
G Dorian G A Bb C D E F
G Minor G A Bb C D Eb F

MIDI file analyser?