Keys vs Chords - what should I focus on more?

[monsterthompson]

I'd supplement my earlier statement about "chords" (if you had to pick a "focus"), by saying that thinking in terms of chords will lend itself to useful "rule of thumb" rules, like hit a root/third/fifth for the chord in that bar on the 1 and/or 3 (assuming a 4/4 time). In my head, knowing that "in this bar, I'm aimed at the fifth of the ii-chord" is easier than thinking "in this bar, I'm aimed at the sixth of the scale." Obviously, knowing the key is pretty useful for determining things like "is the third of this chord major or minor?" . . . Which sorta leads me to thinking that thinking about the key could be slightly more helpful for writing and arranging, and chords might be more helpful for learning and improvising/jamming. Though, as some have noted, the relationship is so intertwined, and the OP's question phrasing leaves wiggle room for various assumptions and interpretations.

IMHO.
YMMV.

 

[monsterthompson]

It's an interesting thought experiment. It's functionally an algorithm question. There's no one best way. However, you can use different mindsets to address different issues and scenarios.

 

[HolmeBass]

I'm not going to take the time to answer some of these comments directly because they're going in circles with the "either/or" stuff.

I'll just reiterate that the basics of chord construction are all contained within the study of diatonic harmony. Knowing how keys work IS knowing about chords, and moreover that understanding gives them a good foundation that will enable them to better understand all of the other types of chords they will find in a lead sheet.

All well and good - but when the chips are down, if you don't understand it all yet, you follow the chords, not the key signature. Accidentals are a fact of music. You don't really have to understand it all to use this simple and accurate heuristic: chords trump key signature. Simple. Truthful.

The fact that you can't or won't concede this is obstinate and potentially confusing for people who have not mastered diatonic harmony yet.

 

[ShadowImage]

I compare it to learning to read. You can learn phonics or you can learn rote words. The thing about rote words is that it works, but you never really fully understand why a word sounds like it does. But as your vocabulary increases, you do know more words.

When you learn keys and the information behind it (what chords are included in that key) it is like learning phonics. You can usually say a word correctly even if you've never seen it before. i.e. Keys are the path to being a professional. Chords are the path to being competent. Once you understand the information behind keys, you know most of the chords and only need to be made aware of deviations in the chord structure, as in 1,4,5,4,1 vs 1,5.4,1, etc.

This is how I structure songs as well. You can easily say, "This song is in Dm with a chord progression of 1,3,5,1 then 1,3,5,6 and the break is 1,6,5,3". You don't need to specify the chords beyond that. The scale and progression are more important because you can quickly transpose or rearrange the song ei "What is we do 1,3,5,3 instead?". Also you can recognise trends in your song writing even between songs in different keys. It's the difference between truly understanding something and just knowing the right chord to play.

 

[Ric5]

CHORDS

 

[Jim Carr]

"Chords" can take you only so far. Diatonic harmony takes you further because it requires an understanding of intervals, major and minor scales, keys, chords, voice leading and function. Then things get more complex because musical practice refuses to obey music theory IMPTHO (in my humble practical theoretical opinion), and there are 12 tones!

 

[mambo4]

depends on your goal
following the chords on the chart will tell you what to play
learning diatonic harmony will give you insight into why the chords work for that key

 

[TheMartianBassist]

Chords, without a shadow of a doubt.

 

[Lanceropolis1]

Forgive me if this has been said, but not only do you need to understand the key you are in, but you really need to know if the chord tones you can play with are major/minor. I am always thinking all of these when I play. Don't overwhelm yourself with everything all of us are saying. Play along with songs, find out what works and what doesn't and most of what all of us have said will just become second nature to a degree. You'll start exploring sevenths and ninths because you'll want to figure out why that note works and that other note doesn't.

 

[Road Hat]

I just finished reading a Frank Zappa interview where he was asked what he expected from a bass player. "The most important thing that I expect the bass player to do is to tell me what key I'm in. I'm not looking for notes faster than what I'm playing or implications of harmonic situations other than what we started out doing. I like to have a bass player with a good ear and a good sense of tempo, but the main function is to make sure that I know and that the audience knows what key we're in. And i like bass players to tell you the story by playing the roots every once in a while. A lot of these modernistic-type personages don't want to do that. They think it's beneath their dignity to play the bottom note of the cord. And that's not for me. I want someone who tells me what key I'm in."

 

[Lanceropolis1]

I'm a little confused about keys and chords. For example a song might have the key specified in b flat, whilst everyone in the band will be just referring to the chords being used and don't care about the key.
Does the key even matter when you have all the chords laid out infront of you?

I think I understand your question. IMO when people I have played with have stated a key, that comes with the knowledge of what the chords are. The more I think of it, the more they are intertwined.

 

[Lanceropolis1]

I just finished reading a Frank Zappa interview where he was asked what he expected from a bass player. "The most important thing that I expect the bass player to do is to tell me what key I'm in. I'm not looking for notes faster than what I'm playing or implications of harmonic situations other than what we started out doing. I like to have a bass player with the good ear and a good sense of tempo, but the main function is to make sure that I know and that the audience knows what key we're in. And i like bass players to tell you the story by playing the roots every once in a while. A lot of these modernistic-type personages don't want to do that. They think it's beneath their dignity to play the bottom note of the cord. And that's not for me. I want someone who tells me what key I'm in."

This.

 

[bassbully]

First thing I ask when anybody suggests a song is what is the key? This gives me the mental map starting on the tonic. They might move the key and then it moves the chords. Both are important together but as a bass player what's the key?

 

[Mugre]

The simplest answer is that A maj, A C# E, is Amaj no matter what the key is. In the key of A major, it's the root. In E major, it's the four chord but in both cases it's virtually always a major chord and that's why your bandmate can simply name the chords without worrying about the key signature (which they probably know anyway).

The key defines the scale that the chords are built upon and define which of those chords NORMALLY are major, minor and in the case of the chord built on the 7 note of the scale, diminished (minor with a flat 5)

Keys and Chords work together to create a system of naming, using and talking about western music. Asking which to concentrate on is like asking if you should concentrate on the clutch or the shifter while changing gears.

I will say that if you have to choose one, choose chords. Outlining the chords is job one for bass players and you can go a LONG way in rock style with just knowing what shapes are major, minor, 6th etc.

 

[wisconsindead]

As we can see, many of us look at the same rules rather differently :/

YMMV...

 

[bigboy_78]

It’s all the same.


Scales make Chords
Chords make Keys
Keys make Scales
Scales make Chords

etc

 

[vin*tone]

In this situation I would say Chords.

In more traditional types of music the chords will follow the scale (Diatonic - e.g. I chord is maj, II chord min etc..) so you're kinda doing both.

For original music - your songwriter might not be following conventional songwriting practices so the scales might not mean a great deal.

 

[Jloch86]

A key is the tonal "center" of the song or piece.

The chords within that key are devices used to create interest - drawing your ear back and forth between tension and release.

 

[JimmyM]

Why do we insist on either/or scenarios? It's completely pointless in this situation.

Now that I'm not having to type on a doggone phone, let me expound on why it's pointless to make this an either/or scenario...

So you have a song and the key and the chords. Obviously when you have a chord that has notes that are not in the key, the chord notes take precedence. But why is the key still relevant? Because it informs your passing notes! You can have some of the exact same chord changes in two different songs, but while your chord tones will be the same, maybe one key will suggest different passing notes than another. And that is why it's pointless to decide which is more important. They are both important and relevant to your note choices. Period.

 

[swafran]

Learn what gets you by the quickest first. Then learn the next thing. You're not going to stop learning any time soon, so anywhere you start is a good place to start.