Definitive way to remember the keys?

[RyRob813]

After an entire year of theory, I still cannot seem to grasp key signature. Obviously I understand what accidentals are and what notes to play when looking at a piece.

When I actually see the key, I can tell you what it is, but if someone tells me that the piece we're going to play is going to be in the Key of G Major, and I have no music, I'm stuck.

Any trick I can use to be able to do this, or just memorization?

Thanks!

[DocBop]

I hear key I think of two things the appropriate sharps or flats. Then I think of the harmonized scales especially if no written music. For me knowing the basic harmony is the most important.

How to remember at one point in music school I just drilled myself on remembering the order of sharps and flats FCGDAED and BEADGCF and realizing one of the reverse of the other. Then I drilled myself spelling first triads and then four note chords. I drilled them in the order of Circle of Fifths. add learning that at same time. I did this driving in my car, sitting on the beach, and time I would normally be sitting doing nothing. It took a couple months of drilling and checking myself.

It's like being a kid in school learning any table of info, just takes time and quizing yourself.

[spc]

I'll take a crack at this one...

15 keys of music
C no sharps or flats

sharp keys:

G D A E B F# C#

Good Deeds Are Ever Bearing Fruit Constantly

number of sharps for above:

Good Deeds Are Ever Bearing Fruit Constantly
1# 2#'s 3#'s 4#'s 5#'s 6#'s 7#'s




flat keys:

F B E A D Gb Cb

Farmer Brown Eats Apple Dumplings Granny cooks

number of flats for above:

Farmer Brown Eats Apple Dumplings Granny cooks
1b's 2b's 3b's 4b's 5b's 6b's 7b's



So there's a way to remember your keys and key signatures...
A huge +1 to what Docbop said about learning your 3 and 4 note chords...
The way I was taught is to memorize:

CEG
DF#A
EG#B
FAC
GBD
AC#E
BD#F#

Then learn to apply it in key...(memorize the following too)

1,4,5 maj (1,3,5)
2,3,6, min (1,b3,5)
7 dim (1,b3,b5)

In other words, you have already memorized B, so if you're in the key of A, you know that the two is minor right? So you make B minor by flatting the third so you're BD#F#
becomes BDF#...

I got a bit carried away, but I hope this helps...learn those triads!


shawn

[iceshaft07]

I found this to be extremely confusing when you look at a key board, so try this. I am going to keep this extremely simplified, and as you continue to study the bass, you will realize this is not quite perfect, but that is antoher story. Learn this first. If someone says "Play G major" that means play these notes:

TAB:
|-------------------|
|------------2-4-5-|
|------2-3-5-------|
|-3-5--------------|

This is called a Major scale. It is a definition. The pattern follows for ALL keys. So, if someone says play D major, that would be

TAB:
|--------------------------|
|------------------9-11-12-|
|---------9-10-12---------|
|-10-12-------------------|

If you play both the D major and the G major, your will notice a pattern with your fingers.

That pattern is the scale. No matter where you play it, you are playing a major scale if it is that pattern. Keep in mind that Fret 0 is Fret 5 on the bass, so the patterns can be altered too.

If you look online for other scales (Just do a google search for "minor scale bass" images with fretboard diagrams will appear.

If you don't know what Tab or Fretboard diagrams are, simply look them up; They are extremely easy.

Edit: Also, you get to "pick" what you play in the scale. What everyone else said is more accurate, but I am assuming can't figure it out on the fretboard.

[phippsyg]

Draw out the circle of fifths or fourths (however you would like to look at it). Write the sharps that are in each key next to the name of the key. Eg., g (f#), d (f#,C#) etc. You will notice that each sharp that is added (moving in fifths from C) is the leading tone of the key, ie. F# is the 7th of the scale, c# is the 7th of D Major etc. The added note is also a 5th above the leading tone of the previous key, ie c# is a fifth above f#. Sounds confusing but write it out around the diagram and it will become clear. Moving the other way (in 4ths from f) The accidental that is added is a 4th above the note of the key. eg They key of F has a Bb (a 4th), The key of Bb has the key sig Bb, Eb (4th above added), Eb (Bb, Eb,Ab) etc. Seriously draw it up and give it a go. Not many people teach it this way but I have been doing it this way with my students for 10 years and in my opinion is the quickest way to learn it. Memory responds to lots of different stumuli so if you can draw this up ang give yourself some sort of visual cue, it may be a big help for you (depending on how your memory works). Anyway there are a lot of ways of learning and memorizing this and they will all work, just find the way that suits you best. i hope I have explained it well enough? Message me if not. Good luck.

[RyRob813]

Originally Posted by iceshaft07

I found this to be extremely confusing when you look at a key board, so try this. I am going to keep this extremely simplified, and as you continue to study the bass, you will realize this is not quite perfect, but that is antoher story. Learn this first. If someone says "Play G major" that means play these notes:

TAB:
|-------------------|
|------------2-4-5-|
|------2-3-5-------|
|-3-5--------------|

This is called a Major scale. It is a definition. The pattern follows for ALL keys. So, if someone says play D major, that would be

TAB:
|--------------------------|
|------------------9-11-12-|
|---------9-10-12---------|
|-10-12-------------------|

If you play both the D major and the G major, your will notice a pattern with your fingers.

That pattern is the scale. No matter where you play it, you are playing a major scale if it is that pattern. Keep in mind that Fret 0 is Fret 5 on the bass, so the patterns can be altered too.

If you look online for other scales (Just do a google search for "minor scale bass" images with fretboard diagrams will appear.

If you don't know what Tab or Fretboard diagrams are, simply look them up; They are extremely easy.

Edit: Also, you get to "pick" what you play in the scale. What everyone else said is more accurate, but I am assuming can't figure it out on the fretboard.

Okay that makes more sense thinking about it in that sense. I already know my major and minor scales, but I had never thought about the correlation with the key names.

So in other words, when I'm given the name of the key, if it's major/minor and I know the tonic, as long as I keep the shape of the major/minor scale in mind, the accidentals will already be there, regaurdless of weather I'm consciously thinking about the letter names or not?

That makes it alot easier, as I'm just asking for the sake of improv- when I'm just sightreading it's already there so it doesn't matter.

Thanks alot!

One other question arises here though- for the the minor keys, where do the melodic/harmonic/natural minor scales fit into key signature?

[iceshaft07]

Yep, you got it exactly right. However, I am afraid I do not know the answer to your second question; Ill be watching so I learn though!

[RyRob813]

Originally Posted by iceshaft07

Yep, you got it exactly right. However, I am afraid I do not know the answer to your second question; Ill be watching so I learn though!

Great, thanks!