Questions tagged [key-signatures]
In musical notation, a set of sharp or flat symbols placed together at left side of each staff, effectively indicating the default pitch class set of the notes to follow.
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Major or Minor, which modes are you in? [duplicate]
How do you know if a piece is in a major key or its corresponding minor? As far as I can tell, the key signature is the same.
Maybe it doesn't matter as they are the same, just starting 3 half steps ...
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When I look for rock chord progressions on the net, I see major key signatures. Why is that?
So I am reading up on music theory and learned about the difference between minor and major keys. So in rock, I would expect to see minor chords, because they are supposed to invoke not-so-happy ...
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What are some tips on remembering key signatures faster for minor scales?
I'm currently taking the ABRSM piano test, grade 6, this year. So far, everything is looking good (songs, sightreading, etc.). However, I noticed that when it comes to the scales, I tend to take a ...
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How to find the key from chords [duplicate]
This is a danish song, but that shoud not matter. My problem is and has always been, how to figure out the key when presented to chords like the following:
D D#- Em A7
Tyggegummikongen Bobbel
D D#- ...
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changing keys in a solo
Let's say I'm playing in C and the progression is I ii V iii IV V I.
When the IV (Fmaj) is playing, what are your thoughts on what notes I can use.
I can obviously use anything in C which will sound ...
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What significance does the Key have on a composition?
I'm struggling to understand how the key signature effects a composition.
If you took an average person and played them the national anthem in any key (as long as you stay major of course) they would ...
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How to determine the key, divide the tabs and count the pauses when writing the sheet music of a song? (image included)
Below is my first attempt to write the sheet music for the song "My Way" by Sinatra:
Then I googled and compared with what I found in the internet, for example this one:
So my questions are:
Why ...
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What intervals are common for sudden key changes?
By "sudden", I mean that there is no dedicated harmonic preparation leading into the new key.
The commonly used ones I can think of are:
Up a semitone (the classic signal that this is final repeat ...
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How do I know when a group of accidentals lead to a key change or not?
Especially for something like this
(which is originally in D Major), how do I know that it doesn't constitute a key change? A more general question would probably be how do I identify key changes in ...
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Time and Key Signatures
Why is it deemed necessary to put the key signature at the beginning of each line? And in the same vein, why do we need a time signature at all, when it's fairly apparent what it will be in the first ...
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Key signing using fingers
I posted a similar question a long time ago, and think it was thrown out. However, still looking for an answer.
When busking at a gig, it's often impossible to communicate the key of a piece, due to ...
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Why do we list the key signature when listing a music piece? [duplicate]
I'm brand new to classical music and music theory. I often see something for a concert like "brandenburg concerto no. 2 in f major". Why do we specify f major? Once we've specified brandenburg ...
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Why have I never found any music written in the key of C Sharp Major?
Music is written in almost every key that corresponds to every note that is on my piano keyboard. There is clearly a C Sharp (black key right of C) on my piano keyboard but I don't recall ever seeing ...
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Are sharp keys "bright" and flat keys "dark"?
I was reading this book and on the "Circle of Fifths" chapter, it claims that keys with sharp key signatures (C, G, D, ...) are "often thought by musicians" to be "bright"...
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C# in the key signature
I am looking at a piece of music and there is a C# in the key signature. On the cello there is a C note on the G string and on the A string. I know that in a C# key signature the C on the A string is ...
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Does a chord imply a change in the key signature?
I was looking at Cold Duck Time :
Where the key signature is F major. On the second bar, the bass line says that the A is to be played natural. The key signature doesn't have Ab, but the chord (Bb7) ...
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Does a key signature remain the same after a clef change?
Does a key signature stay the same after a clef change? I have provided an example; it is in the second staff of the lower system as indicated by the blue arrow.
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Automated way to recognize musical key given chords?
Assuming I have access to the chords of a song, I 'know' (based on my own experience and training) what key the song is likely to be in. And for pop music, the recognition rate is easily above 95%. To ...
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c#-minor Vs E-major for Moonlight Sonata
I see Moonlight sonata often referred to as being in the key signature of c#-minor.
I am beginning to learn music and just learning about key signatures and I would have referred to the key signature ...
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Why are major and minor harmonies multiple orders of magnitude more common than modal harmony? [duplicate]
At least for Western music of the past 300 years, it has been far more common for music to have major or minor scales as their basis of harmony, as opposed to a modal harmony. Is there a reason modal ...
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Is there a key signature for harmonic minor scale?
I know that sharp key signatures are applied in the order: F C G D A E B and that flat key signatures are applied as: B E A D G C F. But these are for major and minor scales, right? Is there a way to ...
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How to read piano key signatures
I just started playing piano, but Im confused about reading key signatures. For example take a look at the first measure of this song: http://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtd.asp?ppn=MN0130187, does ...
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Two MIDI files generated by Lilypond output the same audio
When generating the MIDI files for the two Lilypond files below, and then
generating the WAV audio files with Timidity (timidity --output-24bit -A120 f.midi -Ow -o f.wav), I can hear no differences
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Difference between keys and scales?
I am a Tabla (a North Indian percussion instrument) player and I am trying to learn the western music theory. My study was going well until I stumbled upon keys and scales. Now though I know what ...
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What do these unusual signs in the key signature mean?
In Thesaurus of Oriental Hebrew Melodies by Abraham Zevi Idelsohn in 1923, I found this unusual key signature:
I know that the more typical notation for the little X in the key signature is used for ...
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How to understand and comprehend the basic major key signatures on the Baritone? [duplicate]
I am a sophomore and play the Baritone in the SCHS (go wild cats!) marching band. I have been in band for four years. I honestly didn't do band originally for anything other than it would look good on ...
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Which were the most popular key signatures in the Medieval era? [closed]
I am writing a piece of composition software and need information regarding different musical eras in order to make the algorithms work for different time periods. Therefore it would help to know if ...
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What's the purpose of the key signature information in a MIDI file?
My understanding is that MIDI files use fixed numbers/names for all notes, as shown e.g. in this chart. At the same time, MIDI has a "key signature" meta-event. What's the purpose of the key signature ...
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Why isn't there a key signature with F flat?
I think the title asks the question. There are key signatures with Ab, Bb, Cb, Db, Eb and Gb. But no Fb.
There's probably no practical reason for my question. I'm just curious.
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Is it harder to play in a key with more flats or sharps?
This is a very naive question, but I tend to perceive a song with a key signature that has more flats or sharps to be more difficult than the same song written in a key with fewer flats or sharps.
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If the time signature changes, does the key signature change as well?
Consider the following snippet from Where Is My Mind (arranged by Maxence Cyrin). Notice how after the first few bars there's a time signature change. Does the key signature also automatically change ...
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Changing the key signature of a song for practicing new key
I play the saxophone (E flat instrument) and we got sheet music to play in the key of B natural minor or concert D natural minor. I want to practice that key signature so I want to change another song ...
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Are tonal (sharp, flat and natural) key signatures octave specific? [duplicate]
I recently bought a piano for learning (by myself at the moment) and apart from doing basic exercises, I decided to start learning a piece to get a grip on music sheet reading as I go.
On the sheet I'...
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Why are key signatures like E# and B# necessary?
Why do we need key signatures such as E♯, B♯, C♭, and F♭? Take a look at the scales for E♯ and B♯:
E♯ has 4 sharps and 4 double sharps. The key of F is exactly ...
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"Ut" and "La" notation on horn and cornet instruments in orchestral score?
I'm looking at an orchestral score from the late 1800's (well, OK, it's "The Mikado" by Arthur Sullivan).
In the portion of the score that I am looking at, the non-transposing instruments all have no ...
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If A minor doesn't have any accidentals, is it still minor?
As part of a music course, we have to compose a 3 minute long piece based on a river's journey. Having finished the composition, we now have to write a set of sleeve notes - basically an analysis and ...
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I'm trying to understand the key of a song that uses chords out of the scale
I'm trying to understand what key is the song 'Crush' by Dave Matthews in. It uses all the chords in Bm but it also uses F major and C major as well as D/F#; Why does the F and C sound right with this ...
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Piano Accidentals and Key Signatures
I have been trying to pick up the piano and have a few questions concerning accidentals and key signature placement and interaction.
I apologize I don't have a digital copy of the music in question ...
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7 sharps on a piano music sheet
I am self taught on piano. There are some notes and symbols that I am trying to learn. I have come across a music sheet that starts with Cmajor and then along the piece it changes to 7 sharps. How do ...
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Chord progressions and key
I'm trying to deconstruct a song written in CMin (according to a website).
I know how to find the notes within a key and have been able to transcribe a few lead riffs but the chords seem weird to me; ...
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Are accidentals in the key signature and measure additive?
If I have a flat for a note in the key signature, and then in a bar the same note with an flat symbol, does that mean the note is "double flatted"?
For example in the key of D Minor with ...
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Is a switch to the relative minor still called a modulation?
I am recording a song which is largely written in C major. About halfway through the song, the emphasis changes to A minor, with chord progressions resolving to the Am chord specifically.
Is this ...
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What key is correct when guitars are half step down?
I see many charts for praise and worship songs charted in sharp keys (A#, F#) major. One song is charted F# Major. I would think the guitars are tuned a half step down and they are playing like it is ...
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How to choose a key signature for a song that modulates often?
In jazz, let's say, how would one choose a key signature for writing a lead sheet for a song where keys change every few measures or faster? Is writing the key changes explicitly going to be helpful ...
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What use is knowing how many sharps or flats a key signature has?
Books and articles I've read on learning key signatures seem to focus on mnemonics that tell you how many sharps or flats the key has, but I don't understand how knowing B Major has 5 sharps helps you ...
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Is a high A in the key of D flat still flat?
I'm learning a song in the key of D flat. I know that any middle A within the song is flat. However, is a high A (above the staff) still flat?
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How to insert cautionary key signature before repeat mark using Sibelius 7
I'm arranging wind parts for the following song (excerpt below). This is the end of a repeated section that starts in D major and changes to F major halfway through. So, the repeat mark at the end of ...
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Why is music for strings more likely to be in keys with sharps?
One thing I've noticed is that music written for strings, such as violin concertos, are a lot more likely to written in a key like D or A major than something like F or Bb major. I recently saw a ...
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Why isn't this a c flat?
I am always wondering why the second c isn't flat? There is no signs before it?
I know it is supposed to be played as natural, without natural signature?
This question was roughly answered by my ...
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Do accidentals override key signature and previous accidentals?
I am wondering how the accidental in the first chord (see what is circled) is played? Does any accidental simply move the note up or down a half-step from what the note is supposed to be based on the ...
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