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Guitar chord forum - chordie → Music theory → What Key
How do you know what key a piece of music is in by looking at a set chords for a song.And how do you know which chords to use if you switch keys.
Sorry if this is a bit basic but i have never had a lesson,i just pick up my guitar standard tune it
and play what ever is on the songbook.So if you said play something in "A" i would be clueless
Thanx in advance
See which scale the chords are in. That scale is the "key" of the song. It's pretty easy unless the song is played in a mode. For instance, a lot of Spanish sounding songs are in a Dorian mode. You'll have to wait for Fearless Leader to explain modes. I kind of know what they are, but not well enough to explain them. Something about being in one key, but using the second or third chord of that key as the base for your song. I probably got that wrong, so don't rely on it.
- Zurf
Grabbing a key signature is somewhat of a guessing game until you're familiar with chords and how they relate to scales.
A good rule of thumb is to know the I IV and V's of all keys, which isn't hard to figure out.
For example, if you see a lot of F, C, and G, you could surmise that the song is in the key of C, as C F and G are the I IV and V of C major.
A study of common chord progressions is also useful in figuring this out. They call this the "tonal center" of a song.
THANKYOU,ive got a little programme with all the chord progressions on.
Where do these progressions originate from?who came up with them and why.
Grabbing a key signature is somewhat of a guessing game until you're familiar with chords and how they relate to scales.
A good rule of thumb is to know the I IV and V's of all keys, which isn't hard to figure out.
For example, if you see a lot of F, C, and G, you could surmise that the song is in the key of C, as C F and G are the I IV and V of C major.
A study of common chord progressions is also useful in figuring this out. They call this the "tonal center" of a song.
You may need/want to start reading about music theory. I've only stuck my toes in, but so far I've learned that music "goes where it's supposed to go." Chord progressions exist because they sound "right" to us.
So I would say chord progressions originated with the human ear.
There's a lot about music that's very interesting, and it can be found in the study of music theory.
As Jerome said familiarising your self with common chord progresions is the best and first clue to finding the key the song is in. Another good guide is what chord starts, or ends the song, verse, or chorus, these are often the key.
THANKYOU
As Jerome said familiarising your self with common chord progresions is the best and first clue to finding the key the song is in. Another good guide is what chord starts, or ends the song, verse, or chorus, these are often the key.
Chord progressions originate with scales.
The I IV and V refer to chords named by the 1st, 4th, and 5th notes of a major scale.
G Major scale, for example
G A B C D E F# G
The "in key" chords for this scale would then be
G Am Bm C D em F#dim G
So the I IV and V would be
G C D
Scales scales scales...
weren't scales invented by music teachers to anoy wanna be guitar players,
thanks for your help, i'm starting to get the idea,i'm already starting to transpose songs so as to make it easier for me to sing,where as before i would sing in the key written down regardless of whether it suited me or not.
So it looks like i will a have to learn my scales....dooooohhhhh
Chord progressions originate with scales.
The I IV and V refer to chords named by the 1st, 4th, and 5th notes of a major scale.
G Major scale, for example
G A B C D E F# G
The "in key" chords for this scale would then be
G Am Bm C D em F#dim G
So the I IV and V would be
G C D
Scales scales scales...
How do you know what key a piece of music is in by looking at a set chords for a song.And how do you know which chords to use if you switch keys.
Sorry if this is a bit basic but i have never had a lesson,i just pick up my guitar standard tune it
and play what ever is on the songbook.So if you said play something in "A" i would be cluelessThanx in advance
Seagull,
Here's some useful information from some folks who do this music theory/guitar lessons schtuff for a living. It should be of great help to you. Enjoy.
http://www.ducksdeluxe.com/nashvillenumbersystem.html
Peace and Guitars,
SouthPaw41L
Thanks for the link SouthPaw. That is a simple well thought out resource
weren't scales invented by music teachers to anoy wanna be guitar players,
Hah!
It may seem that way at first, but after it clicks, you'll wonder how you ever got along without it.
Good luck!
i'm beginning to see that
SEAGULL1 wrote:weren't scales invented by music teachers to anoy wanna be guitar players,
Hah!
It may seem that way at first, but after it clicks, you'll wonder how you ever got along without it.
Good luck!
What a great idea,i shall purchase one of those.RnR
SEAGULL1 wrote:How do you know what key a piece of music is in by looking at a set chords for a song.And how do you know which chords to use if you switch keys.
Sorry if this is a bit basic but i have never had a lesson,i just pick up my guitar standard tune it
and play what ever is on the songbook.So if you said play something in "A" i would be cluelessThanx in advance
Seagull,
Here's some useful information from some folks who do this music theory/guitar lessons schtuff for a living. It should be of great help to you. Enjoy.http://www.ducksdeluxe.com/nashvillenumbersystem.html
Peace and Guitars,
SouthPaw41L
weren't scales invented by music teachers to anoy wanna be guitar players,
thanks for your help, i'm starting to get the idea,i'm already starting to transpose songs so as to make it easier for me to sing,where as before i would sing in the key written down regardless of whether it suited me or not.
So it looks like i will a have to learn my scales....dooooohhhhh
Scales were invented (discovered?) by Pythagoras. He figured that whole square of the hypotenuse thing wasn't annoying enough, so just after he went about making playing with shapes a whole lot more complicated with sins and cosins and squares of this and that, he went about complicating learning about music with twelve tones that only have eight names but two modifiers and making sure some of the names and modifiers are completely different but describe the same thing. At least we don't have to square F#m and then compare it to the sum of the squares of A and Cmaj. And he used a precursor to a hammer dulcimer to figure this stuff out, so he NEVER had to finger an evil B chord. And it shows, man. It shows.
- Zurf
Your analogy is worth bearing in mind,as for your love /hate relationship with the B chord i maintain that D/G is even worse because you can't use your thumb,if you finger a standard D try and get your thumb on the third fret of the E string or your little finger over without giving your cramp(small hands).
SEAGULL1 wrote:weren't scales invented by music teachers to anoy wanna be guitar players,
thanks for your help, i'm starting to get the idea,i'm already starting to transpose songs so as to make it easier for me to sing,where as before i would sing in the key written down regardless of whether it suited me or not.
So it looks like i will a have to learn my scales....dooooohhhhhScales were invented (discovered?) by Pythagoras. He figured that whole square of the hypotenuse thing wasn't annoying enough, so just after he went about making playing with shapes a whole lot more complicated with sins and cosins and squares of this and that, he went about complicating learning about music with twelve tones that only have eight names but two modifiers and making sure some of the names and modifiers are completely different but describe the same thing. At least we don't have to square F#m and then compare it to the sum of the squares of A and Cmaj. And he used a precursor to a hammer dulcimer to figure this stuff out, so he NEVER had to finger an evil B chord. And it shows, man. It shows.
- Zurf
Scales were invented (discovered?) by Pythagoras. He figured that whole square of the hypotenuse thing wasn't annoying enough, so just after he went about making playing with shapes a whole lot more complicated with sins and cosins and squares of this and that, he went about complicating learning about music with twelve tones that only have eight names but two modifiers and making sure some of the names and modifiers are completely different but describe the same thing. At least we don't have to square F#m and then compare it to the sum of the squares of A and Cmaj. And he used a precursor to a hammer dulcimer to figure this stuff out, so he NEVER had to finger an evil B chord. And it shows, man. It shows.
- Zurf
Hey man, we got it easy. There are eastern music systems out there with 16 and 18 note scales. Imagine having to deal with quarter tones.
Ook!
Someday I'll figure out that hypotenuse thing. Then my life will be complete.
Guitar chord forum - chordie → Music theory → What Key
