Recognizing the key of a song
Hallo all,
actually I first tought to put this question directly to David, our lead instructor, but he is busy enough and the question is much too simple. On the other hand, he might not even be aware of how he is doing this himself as a profesional musician, because he most probably does this instinctively. Myself I feel quite lost at this task.
But now the question: how do I recognise in which key a song (blues OR NOT) is played in? Quite obvious for most pros, isn't it?
Now, I myself, by not beying a musician, I try to listen carefully to the bass player and catch on the fly the first note of his I chord. The bass player will be the one in the band most unlikely starting his playing on a fancy passing note. This will most probably be the key of the song.
Sure I could also listen to the first note of the IV and count a forth down, or to the V and count a fifth down.
I can also listen carefully to the last note of the song mostly played by all musicians in the band alike but in diferent octaves. But by than the song is over, and if it's not a recording, I can not turn it back.
So what I am aiming to find out: are there other tricks you use, analitically or instinctively that you can share with me and make my life easyer? Not only regarding blues, but also jazz, rock, pop, classic.
Do I need an absolute pitch ear like Leonhard Bernstein to do this? Well, I think there are tricks. I can whistle an A fairly close because of the muscle memory of my tongue and I happen to forget it, just pick up a phone and listen to the dial tone to be remembered again. And I think there are lots of similar tricks you musicians use to navigate trough the key jungle. Do please share some with me: I just do this on my own and only for the sake of the peace of my mind and do not aim to get even near to being a pro. But I enjoy doing this.
I thank you very much and remain your friendly, Razvan
PS: by the way: if there are lessons on this issue, just please direct me to them: I did not find any, not wanting to say I took them all.
Thanks, this has helped a lot.
Hummed into my tuner after leting some music I had the notes for creep into my head and always got sort of a key, if not always the tonic, at least the major third of it. And if I would have played'along with a band shifted a major third away from the lead, well.. me myself, w/o being a musician, I would barely have noticed it and felt kind of proud ;-). How comes that? Probably very easy, but it is still a mistery to me. Will try it with a whole fifth: will it work too? Should do some reading regarding the harmonic displacements.
Searched for "rhythmic dot ca" but found nothing except a face book redirect. Searched further and found a nice site that has much fine information about this issue, "musictheory dot net", which I will follow with interest. Music should really not be a secret, like they say: sharing it luxuriously with both hands left and right it makes it be more.
Thank you and wish you all the best! There are no stupid questions, nor are there stupid answers; only people that dare not to ask and hence remain unknowing. You helped me a tiny bit, but this was a lot because I came further into my quest! This seems to be the main fun here in this forum.
Razvan
If you go to Ryan Walker's contributor page, David and him cover some methods for this at length. It is in lesson 5 with Ryan. There are 4 or 5 videos about trying to figure out what key a song is in.
If for someone who has been playing a musical instrument since they were a young child like I have, John S's video is easy peazy and exactly what I naturally do and have always done. I've played different pieces in different keys for long enough that I know what for example E major sounds like because I automatically think of pieces like Bach's violin concerto in E major etc. on an unconscious level. Play a simple song and I will hum the tonic. David started his harmonica playing at 14 which is almost an adult brain so he can say one note and play another and it doesn't make his nervous system twitch and hurt like it does mine when he does that, but that means he will be able to teach you how to figure it out with your frontal lobes (logical thought process) in a way that someone like me can't.
Ear training is not simple (I've been taking full courses in it) so it does make a lot of sense for David to be the one who instructs you here in the lectures and answers any questions you have. Your question is actually a very advanced question.
Hello and thank you all for the answers that helpen me a lot.
The explanation given by Dorothy regarding the difference between the rational way to do it and the instinctive one. This explanation applies much to me even if it does not help me much further. I will watch the John S's videos.
But that humming practice stated in the first answer on the youtube "How to Find The Key of A Song - By Ear", if it does not always work, it is at least fun to do. I am thankfull for the hint!
This question is indeed a very advanced question: it is the divide between profesional musicians and amateurs. Nothing more can be said to that. But I have enjoyed your answers very much, each one of them. This is why I put this question to the public and not directly to our lead instructor: I have no hope on ever learning to do this like professionals do, nor do I have the means of turning time back to my youth and start playing Bach being only 3 years old, but was very interested to find out how you guys out there get along with this issue, some of you better and instinctively, some of you on a rational basis. Thank you for sharing this with me.
Yours friendly, Razvan
I find this is the most practical system and works for me https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bQouq9a_CA