How to find the key of a song
- Thread starter Axxe
- Start date
DTermination
Member
Axxe said:
AXXE the way i work it out can vary from time to time but one thing to identify here with is basic theory!!! its important to know if u are trying to find out the key of a song is not scale as u said its the key of a song which involves the scale also u will see in allot of songs the same kind of chord progressions are used over and over again just varied in style. Another thing is chord progressions: Each scale have common chord progressions but we will get into that la8r. for know lets look at the basics
(Know ur scales from C D E F G A B (C) octave)
Take a look at this simple C Major Scale
C - D - E - F - G - A - B - C
Note that i have underlined the A because its the 6th step up from the root C. I say this because in every major scale (this being C) there is a relative minor scale bieng A so becoming
A - B - C - D - E - F - G - A
Applying this thery to song
ill give u a basic example of a song i was lisening to Bonnie rait (I cant make you love me)
This song is in the key of B Major well this live version is!!!
ps i wont add 7th or ninths thats another topic that you should read up on so for clarity we will just stick to triads
The progression is
Only on (Verse)
E Major
Ab minor
Ab minor
E Major
E Major
Eb minor
Ab minor
F# Major
now check out the B major scale
B- Db - Eb - E - F# - Ab - Bb Major
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Ab- Bb - B -Db - Eb- E - F# Minor
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
so for the verse you can work out the progression its in Bmajor definetely thhe way i work it ou is if it was minor normally the 5th being Eb is a minor
but u raise the 7th in this case F# to a G to make the Eb Major befor returning to your root Ab..........
theres still quite a bit for you to learn but most definetely learn your scales and all
google this stuff man theres so much
Axxe
Axxe
thanks for the long response man. Yeah, Im not unfamiliar with what your are talking about as I am memorizing the minor and major scales right now ( and the chords ). So you would just try to figure out the chords and then find the scale from the chords?( btw i love that bonnie song, great piece of music ) what ive done if im trying to play along with a song im hearing is to just play notes on the piano and keep the ones that fit. In the end ive sort of made a scale but i cant say which one cus the ordered of the notes might be random compared the actual scale
DTermination
Member
Axxe said:
i see what ur saying. What i do varies one way i migt look at the progression. Allot of songs have the same chord progressions especially in RNB hip hop whatever.
another way is (its unconventional but i look to see) if any minor scale is playing and i know that the second chord in a minor scale is diminished if the diminished chord sounds right with the song then its in that key for instace A minor or C relative major u dig it could either be in these 2 keys but u can always tell by the progression
in minor normally b4 u go to the root A minor u will normally have a 5th or a 4th or 6th or even 7th
so in a minor u will have
A, B, C, D, E, F, G, A
so b4 it goes back to an A chord u will play a 5th E chord F 6th or G 7th
a good example of this is timberland Aaliya more than a woman
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dQKeUyZ2Fc
the song is as they say in C major but ive jus been discussing with someone online that it sounds like Ab minor but for this purpose consider it in Ab minor
look how the 5th (dominant 5th) goes back to Ab (root) then to a sixth
E
Ab, Bb, B, C#, D#, E, F#
try playing it u will hear it and apply the method to every song u hear see what chords are being played instantly u will discover ur own method
calmAss
New member
There is an easier way to find it by ear. Although it's not guaranteed, it's works most of the time. In fact it has worked for me EVERY SINGLE TIME.
The key the song is in is usually the note where the song likes to "rest" for lack of better word. Usually this is at the end of the song.
Let's take the song "happy birthday".
When you sing the song, you will usually drag the last part of the song until you come to the end.
Like this: "Haaaapppyyy biiirrrthdayyyy toooo yooouuuuu."
The last note where the song "rests" (the "yoouuuu") is the key of the song.
Try and drag all songs until you get to a final rest point. This should give you the key of the song.
Then to know whether it is a minor or major key, look at the tone and semitone pattern starting from the root note of the scale (the note the key is in).
Usually you'll only need to look at the first three notes of the scale. That is enough to determine whether the song is in a major or minor key. This is enough to cover over 90% of all popular songs.
Let me use numbers. The number will indicate how many notes to the next note on the scale. e.g. 2 will indicate that the next note on the scale is 2nd note from the current one you are on.
Start at the root note. Minor scales go 2,1,2,2,1,2,2 and major scales go 2,2,1,2,2,2,1 (someone correct me if I'm wrong).
From there you should be able to tell whether the song is in a major or minor key.
I hope I've at least helped.
The key the song is in is usually the note where the song likes to "rest" for lack of better word. Usually this is at the end of the song.
Let's take the song "happy birthday".
When you sing the song, you will usually drag the last part of the song until you come to the end.
Like this: "Haaaapppyyy biiirrrthdayyyy toooo yooouuuuu."
The last note where the song "rests" (the "yoouuuu") is the key of the song.
Try and drag all songs until you get to a final rest point. This should give you the key of the song.
Then to know whether it is a minor or major key, look at the tone and semitone pattern starting from the root note of the scale (the note the key is in).
Usually you'll only need to look at the first three notes of the scale. That is enough to determine whether the song is in a major or minor key. This is enough to cover over 90% of all popular songs.
Let me use numbers. The number will indicate how many notes to the next note on the scale. e.g. 2 will indicate that the next note on the scale is 2nd note from the current one you are on.
Start at the root note. Minor scales go 2,1,2,2,1,2,2 and major scales go 2,2,1,2,2,2,1 (someone correct me if I'm wrong).
From there you should be able to tell whether the song is in a major or minor key.
I hope I've at least helped.
Sonik Beats
Sonik Beats the Beast
What he said is completely right. And what he means when he says "rest" is the resolution. Every song (well, every well composed song) finishes on the tonic, which is the key of the song. So if it ends on a D, then the song is in D. Try making a short composition and have it end on the tonic. Then do another one where it doesn't end in the tonic. It wont give you the feeling of resolution and it'll feel that the song isn't done.calmAss said:
But do what he said. Listen to the last note. That's always the key of the song (in a well composed song).
DTermination
Member
Sonik Beats said:
You guys are absolutely right in some cases however most songs dont return to its root tonic position in a song remember rules are supposed to be broken allot of songs you hear knowadays have interesting structures where they nearly all the time dont return to root
take these examples for instance in popular Hip hop or however you categorize it
Aaliya More than a woman which is in C Major
The chords are I wont add sevenths or ninths
E Major
C Major
F Major
throughout the whole song but its interesting
another one would be
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NLUthL6-BU
theres many different tracks as well but u guys are absolutely right
neverenoughfunk
New member
Sonik Beats said:
one last point, once you find that tonic check if the note 1/2 or whole step below the tonic fits the song because that will tell whether the key is major (1/2 step below the tonic) or minor (whole step below the tonic).
p.s. you could also check the third (the 3rd degree of the scale) too.
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Sonik Beats
Sonik Beats the Beast
I forgot to mention transpositions. The key of a song may change and it might not return to the original key. Although usually, if there is a transposition, it will return to the original key eventually. Just something you should keep in mind.
Here's how I do it and it's simple. I always get my pen and pad out to draw out the possible keys and use process of elimination. You have to know which positions are minor and major in a scale. Here it is if you don't know. (These are the positions for the major scale which 99.99% of the music you hear uses. The minor scale is different and is used in mostly salsa music but that's another topic)
I. major chord
II. minor chord
III. minor chord
IV. major chord
V. major chord
VI. minor chord
VII. diminished chord (Don't worry about this chord. It is
almost never used in songs)
Example: If you know you're playing a B minor chord, the possible positions in a key it can be is II,III, and VI. Get your pen and paper out and put that B minor in the II, III, and VI position and fill in the other positions using your knowledge of scales. Now all you need to know is more chords in the song and place it in the possible positions along with the B minor to figure out the key. Let's say the other chord is a D major. The possible positions are I, IV, and V. Now with that information the key could possibly be D, G, or A. So you need to know more chords in the song to narrow it down and figure out the key. Let's say that other chord is E minor. Well it can be either key of D or G now. For simplicity sake let's say another chord in the song is an A minor. Bam! The key you're playing in is G.
I. D major II. E minor III. F# minor IV. G major V. A major VI. B minor
I. G major II. A minor III. B minor IV. C major V. D major VI. E minor
I. A major II. B minor III. C# minor IV. D major V. E major VI. F# minor
You're going to need ears to know which chords are in the song. Just draw out all the possibilities. Then later on you can start memorizing in your head if you feel like it.
I. major chord
II. minor chord
III. minor chord
IV. major chord
V. major chord
VI. minor chord
VII. diminished chord (Don't worry about this chord. It is
almost never used in songs)
Example: If you know you're playing a B minor chord, the possible positions in a key it can be is II,III, and VI. Get your pen and paper out and put that B minor in the II, III, and VI position and fill in the other positions using your knowledge of scales. Now all you need to know is more chords in the song and place it in the possible positions along with the B minor to figure out the key. Let's say the other chord is a D major. The possible positions are I, IV, and V. Now with that information the key could possibly be D, G, or A. So you need to know more chords in the song to narrow it down and figure out the key. Let's say that other chord is E minor. Well it can be either key of D or G now. For simplicity sake let's say another chord in the song is an A minor. Bam! The key you're playing in is G.
I. D major II. E minor III. F# minor IV. G major V. A major VI. B minor
I. G major II. A minor III. B minor IV. C major V. D major VI. E minor
I. A major II. B minor III. C# minor IV. D major V. E major VI. F# minor
You're going to need ears to know which chords are in the song. Just draw out all the possibilities. Then later on you can start memorizing in your head if you feel like it.
casualobsrvr
New member
you'll need theory when all the lights go out
M
MUSIKFIEND
Guest
I just play around in C Major until i find the notes of the melody. Then using the piano roll i shift it up & down in semitones until i find the key. Once you know what key it's in, it's just a matter of identifying Major/Minor Chords, Progressions etc. Use & trust your ears their your greatest asset.
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