How to Change the Key of a Song
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- Опубліковано 10 лют 2025
- Doing a demonstration of how to change the key of a song on guitar without the aid of a capo. Also using the amazing song 'Dirty Work' by Steely Dan as an example of how.
Check out the version of the song with Jaida:
• Jaida and Sean - Dirty...
Learn how to build chords from the major scale:
• How to Harmonize the M...
Your humor in explaining things makes it stick in my head and make sense
Tried watching your videos before I knew what intervals were, cried.
Came back after learning intervals, cried. But these tears, I can drink these tears.
I love this comment :)
I've been taking theory at college and been able to understand your videos more and more. Your content is amazing and it's been helping a lot keep !!
Thanks so much man, glad it's helping. Now go Ace that class!
Thank god someone knows how to correctly talk about chords in a key. How many years I was confused by people saying all manner of things like "this is in the key of Am." The fact that you called out Bb as being out of the key is important for learners.
Happy to help!! Gotta spread the rock knowledge!
Thank you. This lesson is in the EXACT place I’m currently working. Learning to change keys to best fit my vocal range.
No one ever teaches key changes in videos . This makes me think , why not? Anyways I'm able to make good use of this in my song writing at home . Thank you man !!!
Thnx 4 enabling us to your "thought process" as you think out loud. Very cool to me.
Happy to help!
First of all gotta appreciate the way you teach things sean. That's really understandable. That lesson was great too but please make a video lesson that enables us to understand that how to make transition from one key to another (mostly a higher) key during a song without sounding awkward.
Thanks
Yes! That's on the list! Thanks for reaching out Umar!
Sean Daniel thanks man. Looking forward !
Sean, you have joined the Accidental Murderers Club, Walter Becker of Steely Dan just died... you did this. YOU.
StichMethod Guitar that is one hell of a coincidence
Hi Ian!
+StichMethod Guitar whoa whoa whoa! There's a big difference between posting a coincidental video and actually being the hand that throws a deadly projectile weapon at someone.
Great point....no more Led Zeppelin songs...we can't afford to lose any of those guys
Please someone tell me the story of Ian the murderer
The intros are already on point for a 200k subs vid. Ata boy, Sean!
+Bobby Wolfe You know it! Gotta make the next batch even stronger!
GREAT lesson. I think Ima gonna go from Dano to Whiz Kid Dano from now on. You know your stuff and I keep picking up more and more tips from you in every new video.
+Jbeliski I'll take it!
Nice! Super helpful. Big take away is how to move the key of a song without a capo. A lot of nuggets buried in this video. I didn’t pick up ALL of the chord variations but the video shows me how far I can take it! Nice work man. 🙌
Sean, I've absolutely no doubt you're a great guitarist, but as a teacher you're a dead loss.
Hey - 100,000 subscribers! Well done, great lessons, thanks!! Keep up the awesome work!
Thanks so much Chris! I'll keep em coming!
Excellent song choice
You were right about Steely Dans's song. Brilliant! Good video
Thanks so much!
Those chords sound really nice, great lesson thx Sean!
+Aten Ra Happy to help! Rock those major 7s!!
Way to make a simple concept into the most confusing complicated youtube video. This is the thing with "teacher" on you tube. They do this on purpose. Thank you for being like everyone else. Not taking anything away from your talent. Just as a teacher that's another thing.
I need to change my key cuz my creepy ass neighbor knows how to pick the lock to my apartment and take photos of my dog. What key do you recommend I change it to?
D Minor. The saddest of all keys.
Fminor blues
+Zombified Hombre I think you need to change it to a booby trap system of some kind and send the video.
Anything but yale
Got a great lesson idea for you, Sean (because I thought this is what the video was about): how to change keys WITHIN the song. Sometimes it's a break, like in La Grange. But songs like New Kid in Town and Everybody's Changing, they climb to a higher key within the song to give it momentum. Not sure how to pull that off.
Great idea for another video!
Great lesson as usual. I can't tell you enough how much theory I learn here. Although I don't always understand l am getting it more and more with each vid.
PS. King of the world is still the best S.D. song, dude shreds at the end of it.
+Michael Amenta Thanks for watching Michael! Happy to help!
hi sean thanks for this wonderful lesson changing the key without a capo you are realy hero of music theory
+ahmed hamid Thanks Ahmed! I try!
I'm sure you felt a lot of pressure making today's intro.
+Youssef Rbahi haha 100%. I sat on that couch in silence thinking for about 20 minutes.
@@seandaniel23 xD why though is it because you forgot what subject you talking about in the video??
The way you play the B is ... Well i cant put it in to words ...
'Tis a hard B.
WThanks Sean this is a bit over my head but thanks to you I am determined to get eventually
You'll get there Richard.
Had to watch this twice coz I think I might be jumping ahead, the 1st time listening to this gave me an almighty headache but I got it now. Not only do I think your the best teacher on youtube but I think the lessons you teach are some of the most specific and... Hmm hard to explain.... I learnt open and Barre chords elsewhere but when I search major 7th chords and slash chords, etc, your always there. Slowly but surely you've become the only person I watch on youtube. And when personality is considered, I'm glad about that, you are more fun without talking to us like babies, just all round best on youtube.
Man thanks so much for watching the vids and reaching out and saying so! I'll keep em coming!
My mind was blown twice.
The ol' 1-2 PUNCH!
Sean Daniel - Smooth key changes is where I'm at in the journey and this lesson was a tremendous help. Thanks man!
Just carry around a pencil and a rubber band - instant capo.
That's one way to do it :)
Awesome video Sean....thanks☺☺
+Anukul Das Happy to help!
Sean Daniel thanks.....u r great......
Thank you PewDiePie
Nice video. Please keep up the theory lessons. You explain them in a way that gets right to the point but also adds some different "flavors" that are very helpful, such as the alternative cord voicings that you mention which help to expand my options and greater understanding of theory. Also, I now see why you like the Maj7 cords so much and you're right they do sound sweeter than just regular Maj cords especially the one cord.
Is it acceptable to use Maj7 cords in place of all Maj cords, not just the one cord, or is that too limiting?
+Dberesford10 Yes! Put that major 7 chord anywhere! Technically it'll always sound 'best' on the 1 and the 4 chord, but it can sound great on the 5 chord or anywhere else :)
Sean Daniel awesome!! Thanks my man.
I understand English but this sounds like a language I have never heard of before.
Jaida is kick ash!!!
+Jay Valentine 100% agree.
Great video. Thanks for sharing.
+LEE BRALY Happy to help!
I do this in a different way and find it a bit easy (without knowing much theory). Just find the first chord which is comfortable to your voice, if it is x half steps away ( high or low) from the original chord. You then just need to (add or reduce) those x half steps to every chord in the original chord progression. For instace a chord progression like C G Am. If you find it comfortable singing at E ( 4 half steps away from C). Add those 4half steps to each chord then G becomes B, Am becomes Dm. Chord progression becomes E B Dm. Hope this helps!!
+Krishna Prem Right on man! Whatever works.
Dude I love your intros XD
Thanks a lot Sean.. keep it coming..🤙
+Stine's big Fan Will do!
Cool vid, ty!
+Luke Early Thanks for watching!
Good timing and again, good song. From what I gather, Becker had the human behavior insights with many of the SD tunes. Seems Fagen might more musically technical or maybe they both were.
+onemoregod Definitely a legendary team.
No more dirty work, ooh yeah! :D
+Simon Slemenšek Love that song!
Rip Walter,steely dan is my fav band
+ieldepiel So sad :(
Nice job thanks.
+AMR Electrical Contracting Corp. Thanks so much!
Why did you pause for a second there huh Sean ? Lol well done .
:)
There is so much yummy goodness in this lesson....thank you sensei sean
+Stephen Allard Always happy to help!
I was going to give you a thumbs up, but I noticed you currently have 666, and being an iron Maiden fan I couldn't bring myself to do it!
The Guitar stand in the foreground, camera right of the master is a nice touch as are the lighting gear reflections in the window...Sorry I can't help myself :)
I love your intro's 😂👌
+Sean McCrory Thanks so much!
Great song, yes, but to correct your misconception, their best song is either "King of the World" or "Kid Charlemagne" depending on whether the day of the week has an S, an N, or both.
One thing about playing bass has been the ability to move a pattern to a new position, note the new root notes, and jump to a new key on whatever instrument I'm playing. Not long after I sorted that, I started writing all my chord charts in Nashville numbering, and I just make a note of the key I sing it in at the top, which keeps changing as I approach 60 . . . which is why I know more than some young folks about Steely Dan's music.
So what's the best song on a Friday?
There are two kinds of people in the world:
1. Those who can extrapolate from incomplete data.
@@joeldcanfield_spinhead
I see what you did there!
.....But, uh,.. what's the other kind?
Aloha! :) 🤙
i hoped this will be a vid about changing the key in the middle of one's OWN song (a.k.a. modulation). :< buu.
Coming soon!
Hello sir, i am from india and i am a big follower of your lessons.
is there any possibilities to have same chord with both major and minor in a song.
if yes, is there any theory behind it and how to find the key of that song?
Yeah, the Beatles did it a lot....Norwegian wood, in my life are examples
I thought that was PewDiePie
I get that a lot.
Does this end up being wild world by Cat Stevens?
No the chorus doesn't sound right. Oh Stealy Dan.
Wild World cover may be forthcoming actually :)
How can I change keys like when I play a song with the key of F then suddenly changes to the key of G.?
So you transposed up to E major from C major, but sing it an octave down, correct? Is THAT handy if your're not a 1st tenor......
+Doug P Yup! That's it.
Wouldn't the key of E major cause you to have to sing even higher than the key of C though? (Putting more strain on the voice). This has always confused me...
+Ben D I'm so bummed I didn't mention this in the video, i was meaning to but forget. So even though I'm moving the capo higher, I'm allowing myself to sing the actual notes lower. Like let's say in the original tuning I have to sing a G note over a C chord and that's high for me, by moving the song 'up' to E, I can sing a lower B note over that chord so it'll sit with my voice better, hope that made sense.
Sean Daniel ahh because E major's fifth is lower than C major's fifth! Right? The light bulb just came on lol! Thanks!
I didn’t know pew die pie was a guitar teacher….
His shirt is turning blue when he zooms in right I’m not tweaking?
If I write a song based on the chords first and not the key, how do I find which chords are borrowed and from what key?
Catface the chords in a key of a song can be found based on what the chord is either major or minor. Such as key of C is C Dm Em F G Am Bdim. If your song has a Bdim then youre in either the key of C or the key Am. But Am and C are basically the same. If you song has Bdim look at your at different chords and see if their major or minor then plug then into a chromatic scale such. A major key pattern will look like this M m m M M m dim and a minor would be m dim M m m M M. So when you plug your chords in a chromatic scale youll be able to find what key youre in depending if you want a major or minor key. If you want to borrow a chord from another key i use the circle of fifths. Youd use the 5th chord of what key youre in so in the key of C your fifth is G so you could play G after you play C and now you can play any chord from the key of G such as D major since C doesnt have a D major, it has a D minor. So after you play the D major you can go back to C. I hope this helps. If you have more questions im sure sean has videos on this and i will also have videos on this.
+GoonLink Couldn't have put it better myself!
A Kaypo?
Speaking of Steely Dan:
www.rollingstone.com/music/news/walter-becker-steely-dan-co-founder-dead-at-67-w500956
Conrad Freeman z
Geez, we've lost another great musician
+Conrad Freeman such a bummer!
Dude. You're all over the place
I see the Jordan shirt. Basketball fan?
+Corey Hicks Music oh hell yeah! I'm a baller for life.
Why wasn't this video called "the key to key changes"? Cmon Sean.
+brayden grimaldi I'm slipping!
I saw this a couple years ago and was totally confused. It makes a lot more sense, but anyone who is first learning the concept, should be taught with a 1,4,5 progression. I love ya, but you made it about as complicated as possible.
My old Honda Civic key could open different cars of the same make.
I've heard about that. So funny.
Sean Daniel hi! Quick question my guitar master!
I wrote something last week or so, and don't know what to make of it. What scale, key, or if it's all musically un-intellectual.
I'll present the fast lick as how I now have it, though I initially wrote it one step down:
(Moving up the fretboard) [The first A being open A string, or Low E string Fret 5];
A, A#, C, C#, D#, F, F#, A, A#, B, and then
(Moving back down the fretboard)
A, F#, D#, C, A, F#, F, then back upto (F#), (A), (A#)
Any clarification would be very helpful, thank you!
Hi pewdiepie
Great video, great band but am I confused.........................oh yes I am?!
Would this be called transposing, rather than changing key.
Sean, fan of your videos but can I suggest condensing the videos a bit? I’ve noticed they’ve been getting longer and longer
+Nick Pappas Thanks for the feedback Nick!
Lol Flat 7 Major is a Dominant 7 Chord xP
Oh ho ho, a dominant chord is a major chord with a flat 7. A flat 7 major is when you take the 7th note in a key (B in the key of C) flatten it (to a Bb) and then use it as a major chord (Bb major) and insert it into a progression in the key of C.
ahh i see what you were talking about, thanks for the context. Can you tell me how this way of switching keys works and how it differs from going to the Vdom7-I progression of the next key?
Walter Becker from Steely Dan died ! So sad....
+Ryne Murray I know! Such a bummer!
I thought it would be major to minor
+SuburbanBoy Might have to do a vid on that too.
Sean Daniel yes please. It would be very helpful and very fun thing to learn. Thanks!
how in the world can a person play the B with their pinky?!!!!!!
If i know chords of the song ..that mean i can solo it from these chords
I need to know how can i extract note from any song
That's all about 'chord tones'. Definitely try watching some of the arpeggio vids I've been making. In my opinion, that's the best way to extract notes from a chord all over the fretboard.
Pewdepie music version
I'll take it ;)
You should change careers not voicings. Your one liners are so funny. And the dead pan delivery is very British!!
Sorry too complicated to understand what you're trying to do here. Too many steps
+missedinfo Yeah this was a long one. It'll all make sense soon though!
very sad😢
I can't understand your language😂
+Rahmat Hakim Keep at it, you'll get it soon :)
dear God this is sooo very far over my head
Boring