KVR Audio

bratan007 · Post by **bratan007** » Sat May 23, 2009 1:30 am

Don't really know where else to ask, hoping someone will help me with this a little.
I'm a beginner at playing keyboard (took 3 month class, has been playing for about 7 months now, know how to read notes and know some chords). Tried many books, completed Alfred's 1st level book, but could not find answer to this question.
When song is in a specific key (i.e. in the key of C) what does it really mean? If I know key of the song, would I be able to play correct notes? So for example if song is in the key of C it means that it will use all normal notes and no sharps/flats because I will only use notes in the C scale?
What I'm trying to do is to play music by ear, and I can usually pick the tune, but I have trouble matching the bass... Not sure if type of music matters, but let's say I'm interested in Eurodance/Vocal Trance (i.e. Cascada, E-Type, Basshunter, etc.)
Any info, reference, url, advice you could give would be greatly appreciated!

Max Headroom · Post by **Max Headroom** » Sat May 23, 2009 3:43 am

bratan007 wrote:So for example if song is in the key of C it means that it will use all normal notes and no sharps/flats because I will only use notes in the C scale?

Yes, for the most part this is true, especially for beginner material. When a song is in the key of C, it means the song mostly uses the notes from the C Major scale (CDEFGABC) with no sharps or flats. However, this is not the case 100% of the time. Sometimes you will see a song in a key, but it will have notes from outside the scale.

Knowing the key of a song should help you figure out most of the notes in it, but there may be a few outside the scale. You'll just have to listen for these, I guess

ughnonumus · Post by **ughnonumus** » Sat May 23, 2009 5:28 am

bratan007 wrote:If I know key of the song, would I be able to play correct notes?:)

No. The key gives one a clue to the prime. This works within the chord itself and the key. For example, the chord progression starting from a C scale (i.e. prime) would be C-F-G for a I-IV-V progression. However, if one changes the key, the actual chords change. In the key of E, it moves up to E-A-B, using the same distance (I-IV-V). Ergo, knowing the key, lets one know where to move to, once the progression is established.

Pertaining to the melody- anything goes. Who is to say that sharps/flats aren't deserved?

That's right- nobody.

bratan007 · Post by **bratan007** » Sat May 23, 2009 12:26 pm

Great! Thank you guys. Now I'm a little bit less clueless than before

So what are the most common chord progressions used in the electronic dance music? (my book only talks about Jazz progressions)

A.M. Gold · Post by **A.M. Gold** » Sat May 23, 2009 10:51 pm

"In the key of" also refers to what key signature is used at the beginning in the sheet music, even though the piece may have momentary deviations from that (accidentals), or may change key entirely later on. Pieces can be set in certain keys for various reasons, but often it has to do with the ranges of the instruments that are used. If it has a vocal melody, the piece can't be in a key that goes too high or low in the melody for the singer's range.

But picking up on your question---it's important to practice your instrument in all keys. So many pieces use key changes that you can't expect to get away with only knowing two or three keys.

Aloysius · Post by **Aloysius** » Sat May 23, 2009 11:39 pm

TOTAL GUITAR June 2009:

When you hear people talking about the 'key' of a piece of music, in simple terms they're referring to the scale that's used to create the chords and melodies in that song.

nuffink · Post by **nuffink** » Sat May 23, 2009 11:42 pm

The key of a piece is the root of the (tonic) triad to which it resolves.

Allegedly.

EdgeSounds · Post by **EdgeSounds** » Sun May 24, 2009 4:24 am

right, "in the key of..." just means that the piece ends on a corresponding Tonic chord. well, usually, but ton necessary, it also starts on it. this also indirectly tells that the piece is written in a Tonal system (most likely) and mostly utilizes the pitches of a defined Tonal scale. this means major or minor 7-pitches scale used in Tonal system.

ATS · Post by **ATS** » Sun May 24, 2009 4:27 am

nevermind

eman8ions · Post by **eman8ions** » Fri Jun 12, 2009 6:39 pm

To know the KEY helps you know the sharps and flats that are in that key

F# only is the key of G
F#, C# is the key of D
F#,C#,G# is the key of A
F#,C#,G#,D# is the key of E

Notice that the sharps get added in an order - F C G D A E B is the order
Notice that the key is the note a semitone above the last sharp.

If somebody says play a B scale you know it has the sharps up to A# = F,C,G,D,A

Similar story for flats sort of... but not really... hmmm I've probably only confused things... which is why I'm not a music theory teacher.

jensa · Post by **jensa** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 1:20 am

Simply brillant, man! Thanks!

bratan007 · Post by **bratan007** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 2:56 pm

Thanks!
BTW, is there any kind of software that can determine key of the midi file? MixMeister for example can determine key of the audio file...

Ogg Vorbis · Post by **Ogg Vorbis** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 6:19 pm

bratan007 wrote:Thanks!
BTW, is there any kind of software that can determine key of the midi file? MixMeister for example can determine key of the audio file...

Yes, Humanware's Grey Matter can do it easily once you've go through the training. It's totally worth it.

shfiguy · Post by **shfiguy** » Mon Jun 15, 2009 8:52 pm

eman8ions wrote:To know the KEY helps you know the sharps and flats that are in that key

F# only is the key of G
F#, C# is the key of D
F#,C#,G# is the key of A
F#,C#,G#,D# is the key of E

Notice that the sharps get added in an order - F C G D A E B is the order
Notice that the key is the note a semitone above the last sharp.

If somebody says play a B scale you know it has the sharps up to A# = F,C,G,D,A

Similar story for flats sort of... but not really... hmmm I've probably only confused things... which is why I'm not a music theory teacher.

1 SHARP F KEY OF G
2 SHARPS FC KEY OF D
3 SHARPS FCG KEY OF A
4 SHARPS FCGD KEY OF E
5 sharps FCGDA- KEY OF B
6 SHARPS FDCGAE- KEY OF F#
7 SHARPS FCGDAEB-KEY OF C#

REFER TO THE CIRCLE OF 5THS-
G IS AT ONE OCLOCK WITH 1 SHARP
D IS AT TWO OCLOCK WITH 2 SHARP
A IS AT THREE OCLOCK WITH 3 SHARP
E IS AT FOUR OCLOCK WITH 4 SHARPS
B IS AT FIVE OCLOCK WITH 5 SHARPS
F# IS AT SIX OCLOCK WITH 6 SHARPS
C# OS AT SEVEM OCLOCK WITH 7 SHARPS

DRAW YOUR SELF A CIRCLE AND DO THE NUMBERS ON THE INSIDE AND THE KEY SIGS ON THE OUTSIDE. OR JUST GOOGLE CIRCLE OF FIFTHS. THE SHARPS ARE ON THE RIGHT SIDE AND THE FLATS ARE ON THE LEFT. AND THEY ARE IN THE OPPOSITE ORDER.
THEY ARE BEADGCF

HOPE THIS HELPS

gambaytheunspoken · Post by **gambaytheunspoken** » Mon Jun 15, 2009 9:24 pm

BTW, is there any kind of software that can determine key of the midi file? MixMeister for example can determine key of the audio file...

Yes there is. Search google for an app called "anvil studio." It reads and opens midi files and it will tell you the tempo/bpm as well as the key of the file. You can also change things around to your liking, key, tempo, instruments etc. It's also free.

Here's a little trick, things you can figure out for yourself while you're trying to fall sleep (also a good time to figure out chord progressions): pick any note on the keyboard, go up a semitone and you have the root of a new key. So, for example, choose B, up a semitone and you arrive at C. Choose G#, up a seimtone, and you arrive at A. Now, that you have your 7th note and your tonic/root note and working either up or down on the keyboard you can figure out a lot of chords and other theoretical things by just messing around with this simple method. And the moral of this story is that 7th notes rule.

Ciao!

In the key of... what does it really mean?