Teleclass #5: Pro Ear-Training: How to find the major key of any song!

Skill level: Intermediate

Recordings:

Part 1: Approx 24 min Download part 1 as an mp3

Part 2: Approx 24 min Download part 2 as an mp3

Part 3: Approx 24 min Download part 3 as an mp3

Part 4: Approx 24 min Download part 4 as an mp3

Part ): Approx 24 min nstr!ctions: Yo can eit!er listen to

t!e a dio online "# pressing t!e $pla#$ " tton or download t!e eac! part "# rig!t%clicking on t!e download links a"ove &c!oose $save target as$ to'(

Download part 4 as an mp3

"!r#rise!!! $n %nad&ertised 'on!s(((

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Introd ction:

5!e goal o+ session 6) is to give #o vario s tec!ni7 es and 8tricks9 to +ind t!e ke# center &aka : ;tonic<' o+ an# ma=or ke#(

,( %nderstanding scale degrees -#g ,./-,,.0

a( Tonic - 0: 5!e ke#note o+ a scale is called t!e 5>?I@( It is t!e lowest and !ig!est tone o+ t!e scale( Since t!e tonic is t!e 1st degreeA it is given t!e Roman n meral I( In @ ma=orA t!is is t!e note 8@9( It<s t!e rootB t!e ke# o+ a song(

"( +ominant -)0 and "!1dominant - )0: 5!e tone a )t! a"ove t!e tonic is called t!e dominant &in t!e ke# o+ @A t!is is t!e note 8C9'( Since it is t!e )t! scale degreeA it is given t!e Roman n meral D(

5!e tone a )t! "elow t!e tonic is called t!e s "dominant( Since t!e s "dominant is t!e )t! scale degreeA it is given t!e Roman n meral ID( In @

ma=orA E is t!e s "dominant note or c!ord( 5!e pre+ix 8s "9 means nder or "elow(

5!is is w!# t!e circle o+ +i+t!s reall# moves in +i+t!s &"ot! clockwise and co nterclockwise'( 3xample % C is a +i+t! p +rom @ " t E is a +i+t! down +rom @(

c( 2ediant - 0 and "!1mediant -) 0: 5!e 3rd degree a"ove t!e tonic &act all#A midwa# "etween t!e tonic and t!e dominant' is called t!e mediant &a Fatin word meaning 8in t!e middle9'( Since t!e mediant is t!e 3rd scale degreeA it is given t!e Roman n meral III( In @ ma=orA 3 is t!e mediant note or c!ord(

5!e tone a 3rd degree "elow t!e tonic &midwa# "etween t!e tonic and t!e s "dominant' is t!e called t!e s "mediant( Since t!e S "mediant is t!e -t! scale degreeA it is given t!e Roman n meral DI( In @ ma=orA A is t!e S "mediant note or c!ord(

d( "!#ertonic - 0 and 3eading Tone -) 0: 5!e tone a 2nd degree a"ove t!e tonic is called t!e s pertonic( Since t!e s pertonic is t!e 2nd scale degreeA it is given t!e Roman n meral II( In @ ma=orA D is t!e s pertonic note or c!ord( 5!e pre+ix 8s per9 means over or a"ove(

5!e tone a 2nd degree "elow t!e tonic is called t!e leading tone : sometimes called t!e s "tonic( 5!e leading tone is o+ten sed since t!e note !as a strong tendenc# to lead to t!e tonicA as it does in an ascending scale( Since t!e leading tone is t!e .t! scale degreeA it is given t!e Roman n meral DII( In @ ma=orA G is t!e leading tone or c!ord(

4( 5hat does this ha&e to do with finding the key of a song6

a( 5!e tonic esta"lis!es t!e ke# center &t!e ma=or ke#' a song is "eing pla#ed in( i( Host commonl# "egins a song &" t not alwa#s' ii( Host commonl# ends a song &" t not alwa#s %%% t!ere<s alwa#s exceptions like a song ending on t!e S "mediant ma=or c!ord'(

"( 5!e c!allenge is to +ind t!e tonic o+ t!e song &t!e 1%c!ord' i( 5ec!ni7 es to +inding t!e tonic: ,( 5!ere are twelve ma=or ke#s on t!e piano 4( 5!ere+oreA w!en one aims to +ind t!e ma=or ke# o+ a song by ear, t!ere are 12 possi"ilities &1I12 possi"ilit# t!at #o <ll !it t!e rig!t tonic note t!e +irst tr#'( 7( Rel#ing on t!e genre o+ t!e m sicA t!is ma# !elp to narrow some o+ t!e possi"ilities a( 3xample: Fots o+ contemporar# gospel songs are pla#ed in +lat ke#s &D" I 3" I C" I A" I G"'( Yo ma# go +or t!ese ke#s +irst( 1( Fots o+ "l es is pla#ed in @ I E I G" I C c( Fots o+ g itar%led songs are pla#ed in 3 I A I D I C

d( Bso t!ere are wa#s to !int at certain ke#s depending on t!e st#le and genre " t t!ere isn<t a S35 RJF3 +or t!is( 4( 8Hiddle @9 tec!ni7 e: Start at middle @ and move c!romaticall# p t!e ke#"oard ntil #o !ear t!e tonic note o+ t!e song &t!e 8root9 so nd'( More on this later.

7( $naly8ing a song to fig!re o!t the tonic chord(

a( 5!ere are seven c!ords associated wit! t!e ma=or scale

i( 1 Ha=or &@ ma=or' ii( 2 Hinor &D minor' iii( 3 Hinor &3 minor' iv( 4 Ha=or &E ma=or' v( ) Dominant &C ma=or or C.' vi( - Hinor &A minor' vii( . diminis!ed &G diminis!ed'

"( 3KAHPF3 1: 8I+ I<ve "een a"le to !ear an 3 minor c!ord in a songA t!is s!o ld provide some !ints to w!at ma=or ke# I<m in(9 i( I+ I !ear an 3 minor c!ordA and I know t!at s all# t!e second9 third9 and si:th c!ords o+ a ke# are minorA I !ave to ask m#sel+: 1( 83 minor is t!e 2ndA 3rdA and -t! o+ w!at ke#sL9 A?SM3RS: a( 3 minor is t!e 2nd c!ord o+ t!e D ma=or scale &so t!e tonic 8@>JFD9 "e D'

"( 3 minor is t!e 3rd c!ord o+ t!e @ ma=or scale &so t!e tonic 8@>JFD9 "e @' c( 3 minor is t!e -t! c!ord o+ t!e C ma=or scale &so t!e tonic 8@>JFD9 "e C'

c( 3KAHPF3 2: 8I+ I !ear a @ ma=or c!ord in a songA and I know t!at s all# t!e first9 fo!rth9 and fifth c!ords are ma=or9 &and t!e +i+t! is reall# dominant w!en #o add a +o rt! note'A t!is s!o ld also provide some !ints to w!at ma=or ke# I<m in( i( Ask t!ese 7 estions: 1( 8@ ma=or is t!e 1stA 4t!A and )t! o+ w!at ke#sL9

a(

@ ma=or is t!e 1st c!ord &or tonic' o+ t!e @ ma=or scale &so t!ere is a strong possi"ilit# t!at t!e @ ma=or c!ord #o !ear is t!e 5>?I@ and t!ere+ore t!e ke# o+ t!e songB especiall# i+ it is t!e starting c!ord or ending c!ord o+ a song'(

"( 8@ ma=or is t!e 4t!c!ord o+ t!e C ma=or scale &so t!e tonic 8@>JFD9 "e C' c( 8@ ma=or is t!e )t! c!ord o+ t!e E ma=or scale &so t!e tonic 8@>JFD9 "e E'

d( S mmar#

5onic @!ord Hinor @!ords

Diminis!ed @!ord

c!ord o+ a partic lar ke#( Its 3xample: A song ending on ke#note is also t!e key Dma=( Ne#note is DA t!ere+oreA center( t!e ke# o+ t!e song is D ma=or( ii o+ one ke#A t!e iii o+ a 3xample: A ;Dmin< c!ord second ke#A or t!e &i or a t!ird co ld "e t!e ii c!ord in a @ ke#( ma=or c!ord progressionA t!e iii c!ord in a G" ma=or c!ord progressionA or t!e &i c!ord in an E ma=or c!ord progression( )ii c!ord o+ a partic lar ke#( 3xample: A song wit! a ;D Also known as t!e leading dim< c!ord leading to an 3" tone to t!e tonic( ma=or c!ord is most likel# to !ave 3" as t!e ke# center "eca se t!e vii c!ord s all# leads "ack to t!e I c!ord(

4( *elying totally on yo!r ear -not m!ch analysis; more listening0( a( 5!e 8! mming9 tec!ni7 e i( O m t!e root o+ t!e song &aka : 8t!e tonicA t!e ke#note9'

ii( Eind t!e note #o <re ! mming on t!e piano

1( @an start at @ and work p 2( @an pick a random note 3( @an tr# to g ess t!e note and work p or down +rom t!ere

iii( @on+irm t!at it is t!e root wit! m# 8minor c!ord9 trick &read "elow +irst' 1( @ommon pro"lems wit! ! mming t!e ke#noteIroot a( 5!e "iggest pro"lem is t!at #o <ll "e inclined to ! m t!e 8t!ird9 o+ t!e ke# or t!e 8+i+t!9 o+ t!e ke# as t!ese are ot!er tones o+ t!e tonic ma=or c!ord(

"( So #o <ll t!ink 3 is t!e tonicA w!en reall# @ is t!e tonic &3 is t!e t!ird o+ t!e @ ma=or scale'( c( >r #o <ll t!ink C is t!e tonicA w!en reall# @ is t!e tonic &C is t!e +i+t! o+ t!e @ ma=or scale'( 5!e +irstA t!irdA and +i+t! tones make p t!e tonic c!ord o+ a scale so t!is is nderstanda"le(

2( Oow to con+irm t!at #o are 8tr l#9 pla#ing t!e tonic wit! m# 8minor c!ord9 trick( a( I+ #o t!ink #o !ave t!e tonicA t!ink o+ it as t!e !ig!est note in a minor c!ord( SoA i+ I t!ink C is t!e tonicA t!en I need to ask m#sel+A 8in w!at minor triad is C t!e !ig!est noteL9

"( In @ minor &@ 3" C'A C is t!e !ig!est note( So I<d t!en !it t!e ot!er notes o+ t!at minor c!ord to make s re t!ose notes don<t prod ce a G3553R so nd t!an t!e C( Per!apsA one o+ t!ose notes is t!e 5RJ3 tonic " t I don<t know it ntil I press t!em to con+irm( i( Eor exampleA i+ I t!ink C is t!e tonicA I<d !it 3" to see i+ it works "etter( 5!en I<d !it @ to make s re it isn<t t!e tr e tonic as well( c( M!at am I tr l# doing !ereL

i( I<m making s re t!at I<m not reall# ! mming t!e 8t!ird9 or 8+i+t!9 tone o+ t!e 5RJ3 tonic( SeeA C !appens to "e t!e t!ird o+ 3" &so i+ I was mistakenl# ! mming CA immediatel# pla#ing 3" wo ld give me t!e tr e tonic'( And alsoA C is t!e +i+t! o+ @ so t!e same concept applies( ii( Jsing t!is 8minor c!ord9 trick will ass re t!at #o aren<t mistakenl# ! mming t!e t!ird or +i+t! w!en #o SO>JFD "e ! mming t!e +irst tone %%% tonic %%% root( d( S mmar#: i( Oow to test &again': 1( I+ I<ve arrived at @A se t!e minor c!ord in w!ic! @ is t!e !ig!est note &in root position o+ co rse'(

2( 5!at minor c!ord wo ld "e: E minor &E A" @'( @ is !ig!est note as I<ve mentioned a"ove(

3( 5est t!e ot!er notes &A" and E' to make s re t!at one o+ t!em isn<t t!e tr e 8root9 or 8tonic(9 There can only 1e one tr!e tonic(

4( I+ t!e# so nd totall# 8o++A9 t!en per!aps #o r original ke# is t!e 5RJ3 tonic( 5!is = st !elps #o to con+irm(

)( R3H3HG3R: Yo r ear is t!e +inal = dge*