How can I tell what Key the band is in?

[Aaron032883]

My guitarist do a great job at song writing and working with me and the rest of the band but they play mostly by ear, I mean we know what notes and chords we are playing but as far as the key of what we are playing noone is really sure.. I had some basic music classes in college but its been a while.. anyone have an easy way to pick out the key of a song??

[Deacon_Blues]

The chord the song ends on usually tells the key.

[Aaron032883]

hey thanks man wow that was fast!! do you mean the actual last note of the song or the last note of the main riff?

[meev992]

Originally Posted by Deacon_Blues

The chord the song ends on usually tells the key.

[Just J]

Originally Posted by Aaron032883

hey thanks man wow that was fast!! do you mean the actual last note of the song or the last note of the main riff?

He's meaning the song I think.

The tonic chord (key) is the one that feels like "home" in the progression. Often is the first chord in the main riff.

I usually look at the chord progressions, play them for a min so I can see the "shape" then go for there.

[Winterpegbass]

One way of determining the key signature of a song is by the accidentals (sharps and flats) being used in the chords and melodies.

Flats appear in this order: Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb, Cb & Fb

Sharps appear in this order: F#, C#, G#, D#, A#, E# & B#

Key of C = no sharps or flats
Key of F = one flat, Bb
Key of Bb = 2 flats, Bb & Eb
Key of Eb = 3 flats, Bb, Eb & Ab
Key of Ab = 4 flats, Bb, Eb, Ab & Db
so you see the pattern, if there are 5 flats in the song, they are Bb, Eb Ab Db & Gb and the key is Db

for sharps
Key of G = 1 sharp, F#
Key of D = 2 sharps, F# & C#
Key of A = 3 sharps, F#, C# & G#
Key of E = 4 sharps, F#, C#, G# & D#

Some songs switch keys.

[elpelotero]

typically the first and last note/chord of the song are the same. this is the key of the song. So if you start a riff in D and end it in A, you should feel some tension in the melody that can only be resolved by going back to D. Thus, D is the key.

[BassmanDk]

Originally Posted by Deacon_Blues

The chord the song ends on usually tells the key.

This is true most of the times.

But lets look at it with the theoryglasses on:

In a normal song there's the basic chords.
In the key of A these would be:
Amaj7 - Bmin7 - C#min7 - Dmaj7 - E7 - F#min7 - G#min7b5

So let's say a song has the chords A, F#m, C#m and E7; together they all lead back to A being the key. It's about looking at the intervals between the chords.
Or in numerals:
Imaj7 - IImin7 - IIImin7 - IVmaj7 - V7 - VImin7 - VIImin7b5

And a song where the chords are Gm7 - C7 you'd have to say it's in F 'coz you dont find that relationship between a m7 and a 7 chord a fourth over anywhere else in the above pattern.

Another ex: Dm7 - Ebmaj - Gm7
look at it like Dm7 could be the II, the III or the VI and the Ebmaj could be the I or the IV and the Gm7 could be the II, III or the VI but together in the same song by looking at the relationship they have to be the III - IV - VI and probably leading to Bb over a F7.These chords would belong in the key of Bb!

Hope this helps.