What Does "KEY" Mean?

[Whitey#1]

What does it mean to play something in the Key of G? Or Key of C? Or any key for that matter.

What does Key mean?

r/Mike

[RockyRacc00n]

Are you familiar with the major scale?... sequence of 8 notes, each one in a particular "distance" or interval from the one before?

Did you ever sing the "do-re-mi-fa-sol-la-ti-do" in elementary school? The answer to your question will start with your understanding of that.

[Silly Moustache]

Hi Whitey,

The basic answer is here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Key_(music)

I've looked at some of your other questions, and I'd like to suggest something important:

We are a friendly and helpful bunch, and we love to discuss guitars, and playing and to help each other out when we can, but apart from the odd question we aren't ... really ... about teaching the absolute basics of music theory. It just wouldn't be fair to you.

As someone once said to me - we are all here to learn, but not necessarily to teach (although lots of us probably are teachers).

I'm not saying we won't respond, but to learn basics like keys and scales etc., I'd say that I wouldn't want to miss out on the opportunity to benefit from a face to face music/guitar teacher.

My name is Andy, and I'm British, and so is this chap - but he's not me (but he explains stuff better than I could.



This chap, also a Brit, is also very highly thought of.



These might be useful, but I really recommend that you seek out someone who can explain basic music theory to you, at your learning speed, who is hopefully a guitar teacher as well.

Of course, whilst the acoustic and electric guitar are tuned the same way, they do tend to be played quite quite differently, so I'd suggest that you learn the basics with your acoustic before thinking about soloing and rhythm on your electric.

I hope that helps, and keep us advised of your progress.

Best regards, Ol' Andy

[Edgar Poe]

Key as in the basic foundation of what you are playing. Playing a song in the Key of G, means G is the basic starting point of the song. If a song is to high or too low for someone to say sing along with, you can change the KEY or basic foundation note, so you can match your voice to the highs and lows. The song will sound basically the same, just higher or lower pitched.
I'm sure that is oversimplified, but I gave it my best shot.

Ed

[Condition1]

Originally Posted by Silly Moustache

Hi Whitey,

The basic answer is here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Key_(music)

I've looked at some of your other questions, and I'd like to suggest something important:

We are a friendly and helpful bunch, and we love to discuss guitars, and playing and to help each other out when we can, but apart from the odd question we aren't ... really ... about teaching the absolute basics of music theory. It just wouldn't be fair to you.

As someone once said to me - we are all here to learn, but not necessarily to teach (although lots of us probably are teachers).

I'm not saying we won't respond, but to learn basics like keys and scales etc., I'd say that I wouldn't want to miss out on the opportunity to benefit from a face to face music/guitar teacher.

My name is Andy, and I'm British, and so is this chap - but he's not me (but he explains stuff better than I could.



This chap, also a Brit, is also very highly thought of.



These might be useful, but I really recommend that you seek out someone who can explain basic music theory to you, at your learning speed, who is hopefully a guitar teacher as well.

Of course, whilst the acoustic and electric guitar are tuned the same way, they do tend to be played quite quite differently, so I'd suggest that you learn the basics with your acoustic before thinking about soloing and rhythm on your electric.

I hope that helps, and keep us advised of your progress.

Best regards, Ol' Andy

Great feedback. I actually followed both of the resources you recommended, and I second that!

[harpspitfire]

simply put- in reference to the scales- the number (or no number) of sharps and flats determine the key- if the song is written with the f# and c#- its in the key of D, if you have a B-flat, its in F- etc etc

[JonPR]

The main thing is that "key" is different from "scale". Many people use the terms as if they mean the same thing. They'll talk about a set of chords being "in a key" when they just mean they're harmonised from the same scale.

"Key" is in fact the sense of tonal centre we get from listening to a piece. The sound of one of the chords being "home", as if exerting a kind of gravitational pull on the others.
The "do" of the "do re mi..." is the way to appreciate it in a major scale (either in a melody or random noodling): it won't sound finished until you land on "do".
A chord sequence in a key will usually enhance that sense of "coming home", although just as often it can lead away, or in deceptive directions - but that's because our sense of key, our expectation of that "home" chord, is so strong.

The natural minor scale doesn't have as strong a tonal centre as the major scale, which is why minor keys employ harmonic and melodic minor, to raise the 7th (and sometimes 6th) of the scale to lead more firmly to the tonic.
That's why, in key of A minor, we generally use E or E7 instead of Em.

The relationship between "key" and "scale" is loose in an additional sense, because a song in one key can employ all kinds of chromatic notes and chords for more harmonic interest, without losing the overall sense of a single key. I.e., you'd have a basic set of 7 scale notes, but the tune may employ any or all of the other 5 at any time.
And in a blues, you might not even have 7 notes, and it doesn't relate exactly to a standard major or minor scale - but the sense of "key" is nevertheless very strong. You "know where 'I' is".

[fwellers]

My limited music theory has this understanding about keys.
They are made up of chords that are in the scale of the key you are in.
For example, take a G scale.
It's notes are G,A,B,C,D,E,F#,G
The chords used to play in the Key of G will be taken from those notes.

There are some patterns defined for keys, just as there are for scales.

For example, a major scale is composed of certain intervals:
root, whole step, whole step, half step, whole step, whole step, whole step, half step


For keys this pattern is Major Minor Minor Major Major Minor Diminished.
So basically, the key of G major would be taken from the G scale, and applying this rule to get
Gmaj, Aminor, Bminor,Cmaj,Dmaj,Eminor,F#dim.

Those are the basic chords that would make up the key of G. There are others, of course it's more complicated with the embellishments that can be added, but that's basically them.

Those are the pool of chords for your G major scale. Use them in patterns to make your song.

[fwellers]

Originally Posted by fwellers

My limited music theory has this understanding about keys.

They are made up of chords that are in the scale of the key you are in.

For example, take a G scale.

It's notes are G,A,B,C,D,E,F#,G

The chords used to play in the Key of G will be taken from those notes.



There are some patterns defined for keys, just as there are for scales.



For example, a major scale is composed of certain intervals:

root, whole step, whole step, half step, whole step, whole step, whole step, half step





For keys this pattern is Major Minor Minor Major Major Minor Diminished.

So basically, the key of G major would be taken from the G scale, and applying this rule to get

Gmaj, Aminor, Bminor,Cmaj,Dmaj,Eminor,F#dim.



Those are the basic chords that would make up the key of G. There are others, of course it's more complicated with the embellishments that can be added, but that's basically them.



Those are the pool of chords for your G major scale. Use them in patterns to make your song.

Sorry my last sentence in my previous post said those are the pool of chords for the G maj scale. I meant to say those are the pool of chords for the G maj Key.

Thanks,
Floyd