| Author | Topic: choir |
choirgurl
Registered User
Registered:
1/29/2004 | posted: 1/29/2004 at 11:06:05 PM ET
how do you find what key your music is in?
|  Taciturn
Registered User
Registered:
8/3/2003 | posted: 1/31/2004 at 5:51:31 PM ET
You look at the key signature. It's at teh beginning of a piece, between the clef sign and the time signature. It either has sharp signs, flat signs, or nothing. If it has nothing, it's in C major (or A minor, which is pretty much the same thing). If it has one sharp, it's G major (or E minor), 2 sharps is D major (or B minor), and it keeps going. The order goes from C Major (all naturals) then G (1 sharp), D (2 sharps), A (3 sharps), E (4), B (5), F# (6), C# (everything is sharp). You just count up 5 letters as you add each sharp. The order of sharps, however, is F, C, G, D, A, E, B. Meaning in G major, you will have F sharp, in A major, you will have F, C, and G sharp.
Now for flats. As you add each extra flat, you count up 4 letters from the previous key. For instance, starting from C major (as always) you count up 4 notes and get F. F major has one flat. When you add another flat, you get Bb major. Then the order from there goes Eb, Ab, Dd, Gb, Cb. The order of flats is the opposite of the order of sharps, being B, E, A, D, G, C, F. Like, F major has one flat which is Bb. Eb major has 3 flats, being Bb, Eb, and Ab. Yeah yeah, it's confusing stuff. I probably could find easier ways to say these things, but I did my best. Anyway, to make it easier for you:
No sharps or flats: C major (A minor)
1 sharp: G major
2 sharps: D major
3 sharps: A major
4 sharps: E major
5 sharps: B major
6 sharps: F# major
7 sharps: C# major
1 flat: F major
2 flats: Bb major
3 flats: Eb major
4 flats: Ab major
5 flats: Db major
6 flats: Gb major
7 flats: Cb major
Now, to find the relative minor of a major key (I didn't feel liek writing it all out), just count down 3 notes. Like, C major's relative minor is A minor. (counting down, C, B, A). Every key has 2 names, but you have to know which to use. Usually you can tell by looking at the first and last notes of a piece (or the root of the chords). A piece with no flats or sharps may seem like it's C major, but if it ends and starts on an A chord, it's most likely A minor.
Anyway, I hope you're not too confused. It may seem like I exmplained more than what was needed, but it's all interconnected and it's hard to explain some things without explaining others first. Music theory is crazy. If you have any questions, feel free to email me at taciturneternity@aol.com
| Anonymous
Anonymous Poster
From Internet Network:
174.58.243.x
| posted: 2/29/2012 at 2:39:31 PM ET
quote:
You look at the key signature. It's at teh beginning of a piece, between the clef sign and the time signature. It either has sharp signs, flat signs, or nothing. If it has nothing, it's in C major (or A minor, which is pretty much the same thing). If it has one sharp, it's G major (or E minor), 2 sharps is D major (or B minor), and it keeps going. The order goes from C Major (all naturals) then G (1 sharp), D (2 sharps), A (3 sharps), E (4), B (5), F# (6), C# (everything is sharp). You just count up 5 letters as you add each sharp. The order of sharps, however, is F, C, G, D, A, E, B. Meaning in G major, you will have F sharp, in A major, you will have F, C, and G sharp.
Now for flats. As you add each extra flat, you count up 4 letters from the previous key. For instance, starting from C major (as always) you count up 4 notes and get F. F major has one flat. When you add another flat, you get Bb major. Then the order from there goes Eb, Ab, Dd, Gb, Cb. The order of flats is the opposite of the order of sharps, being B, E, A, D, G, C, F. Like, F major has one flat which is Bb. Eb major has 3 flats, being Bb, Eb, and Ab. Yeah yeah, it's confusing stuff. I probably could find easier ways to say these things, but I did my best. Anyway, to make it easier for you:
No sharps or flats: C major (A minor)
1 sharp: G major
2 sharps: D major
3 sharps: A major
4 sharps: E major
5 sharps: B major
6 sharps: F# major
7 sharps: C# major
1 flat: F major
2 flats: Bb major
3 flats: Eb major
4 flats: Ab major
5 flats: Db major
6 flats: Gb major
7 flats: Cb major
Now, to find the relative minor of a major key (I didn't feel liek writing it all out), just count down 3 notes. Like, C major's relative minor is A minor. (counting down, C, B, A). Every key has 2 names, but you have to know which to use. Usually you can tell by looking at the first and last notes of a piece (or the root of the chords). A piece with no flats or sharps may seem like it's C major, but if it ends and starts on an A chord, it's most likely A minor.
Anyway, I hope you're not too confused. It may seem like I exmplained more than what was needed, but it's all interconnected and it's hard to explain some things without explaining others first. Music theory is crazy. If you have any questions, feel free to email me at taciturneternity@aol.com
| SliniSomb
Registered User
From:
Columbus, Ohio, USA
Registered:
2/8/2013 | posted: 2/8/2013 at 1:22:40 PM ET
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