Joined: way back Lessons: 8 Karma: 1

KEY AND HOW THEY WORK by simon73 1 Jan 2008 Views: 11060

We are learning about two subjects about modes and keys we play them in but before we kick off with all this let’s first put our minds at rest. Sounds really hard and looks really complex, also very off-putting as you may think I am no good with all this theory stuff. It is not that hard to find the key centre just read what I have written and you be well on your way. As I try to keep it very basic without any fancy stuff and such like and it is just a case of remembering thats it.

So lets make a start

Lets have a look at the following example. The numbers represent the chords for example G would be the first chord, A the second chord and so on.

G Major 1
A Minor 2
B Minor 3
C Major 4
D Major 5
E Minor 6
F# dim 7

I taught myself was to remember the following Major, Minor, Minor, Major, Major, Minor and diminished. So for a quick example if I start playing the chord G Major, B minor, and C Major we would be playing in the key of G Major. Remember the Major, Minor, Minor, Major, Major, Minor and diminished

Now workout what key I will be playing in if I started on C Major, A Minor, D Major and G Major

Have you got the answer? If not then I will tell you the key we are playing in G Major why? Well is the C Major in the G Major key? Yes, it is the 4th chord. Is A Minor in the G Major? Yes, it is the 2nd chord. Is D Major in the G Major once more it is been the 5th chord and we end on G Major itself the first chord.

Sometimes we can work out the key the music is played in for example if I played G Major, D Major and C Major as you can see G Major is the key as it is the first chord but some occasions music may not start on the first Chord in our case G and can start on E minor so let think about this one. E Minor, D Major, and C Major. Okay you workout what key I was playing in?

Answer is G Major why? Well each chord I played is represented in G Major scale take a look at the chart when your first read the lesson. E minor is the 6th chord, D Major is the 5th chord, and C Major is the 4th chord. Remember Major, Minor, Minor, Major, Major, Minor and diminished But they is no G Major? Well if you can remember that we don’t have to start on the G Major we can start off like I did on the E minor which is apart of the G Major, along with the other notes.

Pushing on a bit more as you can see we have been harmonized the scale in triads three notes chords don’t worry about the fancy name yet. We now can build up four notes chords by taking all the triads plus on extra note and these are the notes we get now (Don’t worry) all that changes is the sound of the chords they are all base in the key of G Major.

The below chords can be found on this website so I saw no need to include them in my lesson

G Major 7
A Minor 7
B Minor 7
C Major 7
D 7
E Minor 7
F# minor 7 flat 5

You now have to remember the following Major 7, Minor 7, Minor 7, Major 7, dominant 7, Minor 7 and minor 7 flat 5. With the triads we had to remember Major, Minor, Minor, Major, Major, Minor and diminished. You need to remember both to be able to move onto the next lesson to do with modes

A little test what key do these chords belong to?

G Major 7, E Minor 7, A Minor 7 and C Major 7

Small test but this time we begin in a total different key (ouch) and G major as our lessons have been played in

D minor, F Major A minor


Next lesson will be on the modes we can use for chords and how they work. Keeping things simple

The last test was in the key of ------ C Major workout why? And if you done your homework it will be easy as eating cake

They should be no mistakes at all in this lesson (one can dream can’t he) Above all enjoy and I hope you understand my lesson as my English is not all that good