KVR Audio

SARcazm · Post by **SARcazm** » Sat Jan 06, 2007 2:08 am

If you're new to reading scores and theory in general, a quick tip for figuring out the MAJOR key from a score.

If the Key Sig has #s, go up a semitone from the rightmost # (on the score) to get the major key.

i.e. 3 #s, the rightmost one is G#, so the Major key is A. 6 #s, the rightmost one is E# (F) so Major key is F#

If the key Sig has b's, the 2nd b from the right is the Major key. (Note: this doesn't work for FMajor, but that has only 1 flat anyway)

i.e. 2 flats, the 2nd rightmost flat is Bb, so the Major key is Bb. 5 flats, 2nd rightmost flat is Db, so Major key is Db.

EDIT:

course it helps if I can tell my left from right. Duh!

Note that I emphasize that is an indicator of the MAJOR key, but the actual key could be the relative minor, or any of the modes, but at least you'll have a starting point to go from.

dougsyo · Post by **dougsyo** » Sat Jan 06, 2007 2:56 pm

Also, to determine the key (and whether major or minor) examine the first and last chords of a song, in conjunction with the key signature.

For example, if the last chord has G-C-E then it is most likely the key is C. If it's A-C-E then it's going to be A minor instead.

Doug
PS: looks to me like one 'c' is enough to turn 'additive' into 'addictive'. What do I do with the other 4,999 ?

SARcazm · Post by **SARcazm** » Sat Jan 06, 2007 4:46 pm

@Doug: I won a slogan comp with Camel Audio, with the proviso that the winners put their winning entry in their sigs, but the KVR guys nixed that idea (no sales links in the sigs rule or something). However, Camel Audio kindly gave us our great prizes anyway, and so I tried to do a bit of subtle advertising for them in my sig, without pissing off KVR. Obviously it is too subtle

dougsyo · Post by **dougsyo** » Sun Jan 07, 2007 2:56 am

LOL no, it wasn't "too subtle", I caught it (I have C5000 also).

I was just responding in jest

Doug

tee boy · Post by **tee boy** » Sun Jan 07, 2007 8:55 am

dougsyo wrote:Also, to determine the key (and whether major or minor) examine the first and last chords of a song, in conjunction with the key signature.

For example, if the last chord has G-C-E then it is most likely the key is C. If it's A-C-E then it's going to be A minor instead.

Doug
PS: looks to me like one 'c' is enough to turn 'additive' into 'addictive'. What do I do with the other 4,999 ?

But dont be surprised if the dominant (V) chord comes first! That is not uncommon at all.

The tonic chord will be the one that pitches are drawn to, and the one that the music rests on as passages conclude.

Usually first and last, but not always, so its worth knowing what else to look out for.

TB

Quick Tip: Determining the MAJOR key from a score