How to tell the key of your sheet music
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- Опубліковано 1 січ 2019
- The idea for this video was inspired by Andrew Rood, who asked me to upload a video on how to tell what key you're in by looking at the key signature. I hadn't done this yet, and it sounded like a great idea for anybody just starting out! Hope it helps!
ive literally looked for this for ages but could never seem to understand, this made it so simple i had no idea it was this easy!
Are you new to playing, reading or both?
Thank you, James, for following up on my suggestion! Now, after hearing my name three times mentioned, I guess I'm world-famous! :-)
And, after, Lo, these many years, I learned something new: My piano teacher taught me to look at the rightmost flat in the key signature and count down four half-steps. I like your method better. It's more direct. I like that! Cheers!
It was a really great idea.
1:43 Begins teaching- C Major
2:29 G Major
3:22 D Major
3:56 A Major
4:22 E Major
4:45 B Major
5:24 F Sharp Major
6:00 C Sharp Major
6:33 F Major
7:16 B Flat Major
7:40 E Flat Major
8:02 A Flat Major
8:14 D Flat Major
8:31 G Flat Major
8:50 C Flat Major
You have taught me the things in a single video that nothing on the internet could ever teach me. I always wanted to know how to identify signatures by looking at them. Now I am looking for something on relative minors. Thanks a lot sir for such an amazing video.
UPDATE: Now I understand most of the concepts. Cannot edit original comment otherwise I will lose the HEART 💓
*Recap ( WITH A TIP AT THE END OF THE COMMENT TO KNOW IF YOU'RE IN MAJOR OR MINOR SCALE ) :*
So to begin, you should know that :
- *The order of the sharps (#)* is Fa Do Sol Re La Mi Si/ *F; C; G; D; A; E; B*
- *The order of the flats (b)* is Si Mi La Re Sol Do Fa/ *B; E; A; D; G; C; F.*
You should know these orders by heart, it'll help you guess how many alterations there are in a scale etc..
*_To find the key of a song_* :
- *For the sharps* : For example, let's imagine that there are three sharps in the key of your song [ Fa#/ *F#;* Do#/ *C#;* Sol#/ *G#* (it's the order of sharps that I mentioned earlier) ], you will have to take *the last* sharp note in the key, here It's *G#* ( Fa#/ F#; Do#/ C#; *Sol/ G#* ) and you will have to increase it with a half tone/semi tone [ Basically, you will have to take the note which is after the G# in the normal order and it's A ( C D E F _G_ *A* B... ) ]. *So we know we're in A Major scale* ( we also now know that A major has 3 sharps ( F# C# and G# )... *BUT we can also be in its minor relative* ( The neighboring scale having *the same number of sharps in the key ).*
The relative of A Major is F# minor.
( I will give a tip at the end to know if we are in Major scale or Minor scale )
- *For the flats :* for example, let's imagine that there are three flats in the key of the sheet music of your song [ Sib/ *Bb;* Mib/ *Eb;* Lab/ *Ab* (it's the order of flats that I mentioned earlier) ], *for the flat you'll simply have to take the penultimate flat in the key* which is therefore E ( B b; *E b;* A b ). *So we know that we're in the E Scale... Or it's relative minor scale* ( The neighboring scale having the same number of flats in the key ).
*_Tip:_* So to know if our song is in major scale or its relative minor, you have to look on what note you start and on what note you finish on the bass part of your music score ( The bass has a F clef instead of the usual G clef ).
For example:
For our first example ( with the sharps ), we saw that we were either in A Major or in its relative minor which is F# minor, so to know the exact scale between these two, we look at the note of the beginning and the end on the part reserved for the bass on the music score, if the note is for example an A at the beginning and at the end, there is no doubt, we know that we are in A major.
Hope it helps you
Man, you are a lifesaver. I love music but do not get all the notation stuff but have to take a CSET on it and you explained it so that even I could understand it. BRAVO! Thank you.
Thank you, James! This was amazing so very helpful. So happy to know that there are simple rules to follow! That is so much better than having to memorize all of it. You are so blessed! Thank you for sharing your knowledge!!! YAY! Made my day!
I can not tell you how greatful for this video. I've watched a few other videos similar to this but your explained it best. Thank you!!
Great lesson! Thank you! You really simplified this process.
That was so amazing and so easy . oh my gosh Thank you so much for that. I feel like I accomplished so much in music just learning that. Now I take all my music books and look at it and know exactly what key I'm in even though it says what it is, I still practice and it is is absolutely so easy and amazing. Thank you so much for this, I learned a lot.
Thank you so much for your clear and thorough explanation!
Wow that helped A LOT ! You've explained everything soooo clearly and make it easy for me and I'm a complete beginner ! Make it fun to learn !!!
Thank you so much! I've been looking for a video like this so you just made my day!
Dang, no time wasted while talking and so clear! So good with your words! Thanks this helped 👍
Thank you so very much, James. You are amazing.
This saved me from getting a bad grade on my music test , thank you!
This is a short but very informative video. Outstanding!
What about the major versus minor scales such as C major and A minor?
@@letaureauduforex6876 this is so sus.. the website is dangerous. I wouldnt click that link if I were you.
@@ChickyChac what
Great video! I finally understood this concept. Thank you.
Thank you, explained brilliantly 🙏👍
I had been searching this for months. You helped me. Thankyou very much
Awesome! I was so confused before! You just saved my frustration, thank you so much
Fantastic James. Nice hint.
THANK YOU SO MUCH THIS MAKES SO MUCH SENSE
Thank you I am also looking for this and am with you here learning it.
Incredibly helpful! Thanks for this!!!
Glad it was helpful!
Thank you so much, i really like your way to explain thiss❤️ this really helpful
Best video! I learned now! Thank you
Great video, very informative!
Thank U. Just so love this
Thank you so so much I really needed this!
Beautiful piano
this was amazing video!
it helped so much ! Thank you TIMES 3000!!!!!!!!!!
Your so good at this 🤩
Thank you so much ❤️
Learnt a lot 😇
Love your videos,Happy New Year!.
Thank you for being a part of the channel.
This was really helpful thank you very much.
For the flats, going by the last flat and dropping it down 1 and 1/2 step ends on the right key as well
Wow.. Amazing tips .. Thank you so much.. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻🙏🙏
Thank you for coming by.
Thanks for this, it has taken me 2 years of piano to understand this! :)
I finally get it thank you!
I have studied key signatures already since I moved to college taking up music. I still have to review my key signatures from time to time. When I studied music theory having Rudiments class, I got perfect scores in my key signatures.
Hu, very interesting, why did none of my teachers ever teach this(?). Thanks!
oh man thank you on behalf of all the internet
thanks - you tought me what my music teacher could never
Great help!
Thank s sir for the best tutorial video
Thanks it helped me a lot
Wow! You really explained it well especially for a beginner like me.
Same!
Thank you so much for this video those tricks will be so useful for my exams
thank you!
Thank you!
Ah this was so useful! Thank you!
Most things in music are very simple.
I really believe that most music is very simple, but not necessarily easy. It takes a great deal of hard hard work to become good at most things, and music is really in that category. Not all people are destined to become concert pianist, but I believe everyone can learn to play with some hard work. Music is wonderful, and I feel everyone should be encouraged to play.
For me when it come to performing Bach there is of course Glenn Gould, and then there is everyone else.
What do you plan on studying in college?
Not going. The school I wanted to go to would have charged $250,000 for me to go to the school, my parents offered me the money for the studio instead.
Anyway to tell whether the piece is written in a minor key?
You can listen to the sound of the piece, and after a while you will be able to tell the sound of minor from the sound of major. Major sounds happy and uplifting, while minor often will sound dark, sad, or spooky. Also, you can look at the last chord of the piece, which often (but not always) will indicate whether the piece is Major or minor.
Thank you so much. The key signature is that also the root note? I'm just beginning to learn music theory. I play the chromatic Harmonica. Which has the half notes.
INCREDIBLE! THANKS SUBSCRIBED
Thanks for the sub!
Thankyou!
Oh my GOD. thank you. I’ve been so confused.
Thank you so much
I had a piano test tomorrow so thank you
Thank you.
thank you so much
Thank you ...
Great.
Every major key has a parallel minor key though right?
When I identify a possible major key I have to know the minor key with the same amount of b's or #' s so I can find out the actual key by analysing if it's major or minor (by the first or last chords for instance)
How would you find a major key's parallel minor key though?
@@anushh528 Hello, any major key's parallel minor key is always the submediant (the 6th note of the major scale, in this case). For example, if in G major I have an F sharp, to find the relative minor key I have to consider the submediant of G major, that is E (the sixth note in G, A, B, C, D, E, F#), so the parallel minor key is E minor, which also has an F sharp.
Or with two sharps, F and C I can either be in D major or in B minor (the submediant, or 6th note, of a D major scale is B: D, E, F#, G, A, B, C#).
This also applies to flats, once you spot the major key, the relative minor key is the submediant (again, the 6th note of the major scale).
For example, one flat can either indicate F major or D minor, because D is the sixth note in the F major scale: F, G, A, Bflat, C, D, E.
I hope this helps.
Just wondered if you could do a video on time signatures and counting the pulse of a piece of music as I struggle with rhythm in my sight reading
Sure, I will upload one tomorrow morning for you.
Thank you so much for this video!!!! My band teacher tried explaining this to us in band class and I had absolutely no clue what she was talking about and I thought I was going to fail my test. Thanks again!!!!!
Thank you, James, this was soooo helpful. More helpful then most of the explanation out there. I am just wondering if you heard of Brian Crain? Your way of explaining the flats was so simple and understandable. Have you done a tutorial video?
just wondering what if the sharps are different notes for the bass clef compared to the treble clef? For eg - Sharp is on F# and C# in the treble clef and E# and a# in the bass clef. What will be the key signature be? I can send you the sheet music for you to have a look.
thank you
So glad to help.
What book are you using in the video? I'd like to get it! Great video, thank you.
I have so many music books that I'm not sure which one this was. It's an old book of scales, for practicing.
@@ThePianoforever Thanks for replying. I like the fact it has the key signature written at the top of each scale practice - I'll have to keep my eye out for something similar!
What about minor scales? Is there any way to know if a scale is major or minor by looking at the sheet?
Does key signatures change the position of C in the paino sheet?
IM CONFUSEDDDDDDD
I dont understand, at 3m 06, you say the sharp next to the clef is a F-Sharp but how do you know THAT? Also, even if from this you can determine that it is G-Major key, how do you then know what the notes are? Does G-major just have the G in the 2nd space down, where C would be for C major?
@PianoForEver
Hi,
I gotta desagree with you.
When there are 2 sharps # it's E or A, E Dorian or A Mixolydian.
And 1 # it's A Dorian.
Right?
Ships Are Sailing got 2 # and it's not in D.
Green Groves of Erin got 1 # and it's not in G, it's in A, A Dorian.
Technically correct, yes, but seeing as this video is intended for beginners I figured I wouldn't discuss modes since that can get quite overwhelming.
@@ThePianoforever Alright, sorry.
You make a point there.
Otherwise I liked the way you speak and explain.
So question:
If you hear a tune for the first time or never worked on, or/and have the sheet but without the chords how do you determine the key and mode?
Ex: with 2 #sharps How can one figure out weather it is D Maj ionian, E Dorian or A Mixolydian?
Do you have a lesson that explains that by any chance?
I do play Irish and Breton trad mostly and it's not always easy to guess which mode it is quickly.
I heard about a resolving note in some music theory website but I have no idea what it meant.
Thanks a lot for any tips 🙂
God bless
I never knew you could find keys from just scales
"Father Charles Goes Down And Ends Battle"
“Fat Cats Go Dancing At Every Barn”
besides just knowing music theory, is there a reason to be able to identify the key signature?
Knowing what key you are in, and being able to identify the key signature, is very important in music. If you know, for example, that a piece you are about to play is in G Major, you will know to automatically play F Sharp every time an F appears in the sheet music. While you won't be able to remember things like this when you first start off, over time you will be able to remember it and it will make life easier.
Secondly, identifying the key signature allows you to know what key to actually play in, and if you are playing with other musicians, playing in the wrong key will really mess stuff up. On top of that, if you're not playing all of the right sharps or flats that are supposed to be in the key, the piece you are playing will sound wrong.
thanks! @@ThePianoforever
What book are you using?
👏
Does this method work for all instrument sheet music
Yes, reading key signatures is the same for all instruments.
Having trouble understanding if your term of "One half step" means literally 1 1/2 steps, or just a 1/2 step itself.
1/2 step
idk whichi sharp is which :(, like what are their positions?? :((
Key G have a black key which is F# but you said when playing G you have to play all the white keys
I don’t know about the keys signature.
Thank you
Please please tell us how to play imagine dragons
OR just look at the last note or chord played in the song. It works 99% of the time! Minor keys can be problematic....
This guy look like Lex Luger
I can hear shirp now
Can you please put it in practice after you explain each cord, with thanks
My problem is.. how to play looking at them.
Flat: beadgcf
Follow the last key signature = major
🤨
How tf is E a F? You said E is basically the same as F and AN E IS NOT THE SAME SH*T AS A F. I DON'T UNDERSTAAAAAAAND
If a note has a sharp next to it, you actually play the note one half step above it. In the case of E, the note one half step above E is E#, which is more commonly known as F.
this is really helpful..thank you so much!
Thank you!
You're welcome!