how to determine the key of a song?
MLC2006
Posts: 861
I've always just assumed the key of a song is the first chord of the song, but recently heard that it is usually the last chord of the chorus which may or may not be the same as first chord of the song. are either of these correct?
also, when playing a solo, should the solo be of the same key as the song, or a relative key? for example, I've assumed that "Alive" is in the key of A, but it appears that the guitar solo is in the key of Em. but, "Yellow Ledbetter", I believe the song and solo both are in the key of E. so what is correct when determining what key to put a solo in?
also, when playing a solo, should the solo be of the same key as the song, or a relative key? for example, I've assumed that "Alive" is in the key of A, but it appears that the guitar solo is in the key of Em. but, "Yellow Ledbetter", I believe the song and solo both are in the key of E. so what is correct when determining what key to put a solo in?
Post edited by Unknown User on
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first chord played is usually a good rule of thumb.
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A Major
B Minor
C# Minor
D Major
E Major
F# Minor
G# Diminished
coicidentally these are also the chords in the key of F# Minor, but that is another thing entirely (although not that hard to under stand - 3 intervals down from a major key is its relative minor - I think. I just take C and do the math to Am - arguable the most popular major and minor keys) There are a good deal of other scales and keys as well (the greek modes) but knowing major and minor is pretty much all you need for rock.
as for the "first chord in a song argument" - depends what progression they are using, and since most progressions do start with the root (I), the first chord is frequesntly the key it is in. But soloing in the relative minor is a doable thing too, since it is really just the same scale (ie, Em and G are the exact same scales but with different start/end points), and I'm sure lots of people do that in rock too
I dunno... Gmajor gives it a good run
i agree bout the other part too.
mmhm.
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Oh my, they dropped the leash.
Morgan Freeman/Clint Eastwood 08' for President!
"Make our day"
also, if the song is in a major key and moved backwards 3 notes, that gives the relative minor. so if the song is in a minor key and moved FORWARD 3 notes, is that the major key?
2005.09.05
"how many people did die from that?...did P.Diddy kill them?" - Eddie Vedder 2006.02.19
this is handy if you really don't want to think about it
the verse and chorus is in the key of E, no question. but the solo is in the key of C#, just as I had a guessed. at least in the "relative key" mode. in the major scale mode, I'm sure it is or should be in the E scale.
I appreciate that. thanks.
C# minor contains the same notes as E Major, so yeah, you are correct.
those songs weren't too complex though...
C# is E's relative minor. I was playing STP's Interstate Love Song in a lesson once and my teacher was asking me what key it was in. So I said C#m because thats the first chord played in the verse and chorus. He said I was sort of correct. The song is in E, but since C# is the relative minor that I was close.
I'm a bit confused about the rest of your question, but then again i'm not too up on my theory talk.
if you explain it more i could tell you
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Oh my, they dropped the leash.
Morgan Freeman/Clint Eastwood 08' for President!
"Make our day"
As a chord progression runs on, it usually "resolves" to a final chord that gives that "ahhh" finality to the progression.
Yellow Ledbetter starts on E, then B then A. If it didn't go back to E again,,, it wouldn't resolve, and everyone would be waiting for that last chord before they would leave the show!
You can solo in the same key as the song. If the song is in E, you can add interest by starting the solo with the C# note and soloing in C#. instead of starting on E, it adds interest. Same notes, just a different starting point.
As an example, Jimmy Page pays a lot of solos starting that way, among a whole lot of other scale modes he plays in.
E F# G# A B C# D# E = E major scale
C# D# E F# G# A B C# = C# minor scale
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That is correct, sir!
Don't be mankind. ~Captain Beefheart
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