Knowing the key

[kghayesh]

I kinnda have a problem identifying the key in which a passage is in given the score. What I do is

1. Look at the key signature
2. Check if there are any accidentals.
3. If there is no accidentals at all then it is in the major key that corresponds to this key signature (for e.g: if 4 flats then it is in Ab major)
4. If the 7th is sharpened, then it is in the minor key of that key signature.
5. If there are some accidentals, I just visualize the number of black notes and try to imagine myself playing a scale out of these notes. That scale corresponds to the desired key !!!

I don't know if this is crap or what is the right method of figuring this out.

[Tash]

that's pretty much what my old teacher used to tell me, except in exams i'd have blanks and start making stuff up...just remember if the particular added sharp or flat doesn't go on for long then it's probably just a secondary chord and not a modulation

[pianistimo]

sometimes in classical form you can follow the form and know where a modulation is likely to take place.  but, then, there are transitions where the composer sometimes 'transitions' through many keys.  usually there are sequences that tip u off and u can just notate all the keys ur quickly going thru.

what is most important to start with is the true key you are in.  usually the last chord of a piece will tell u (along with the key signatures and accidentals).  once u are for sure (of course, some composers tell u - 'minuet in G' or somethign).  it would be kinda funny if someone got that wrong on a test.  (nevermind my sick humor - and i'm not making fun - because sometimes it does get wierd).

the best thing to do is to not look at the home key as always stable.  with more modern composers - it isn't really a home key anymore.  with classical composers - you can bet everything is centered around this key and likely to modulate with related minors, thirds, fourths and fifths.  more modern compositions - u don't really have a clue where u are going and u sometimes have a lot of chromaticism - or wild modulations.

it's all kinda mathematical either way - there is usually a pattern after a while.  u can start adding it all up.  if ur not exactly sure - but u see a pattern going on - go with the gut instinct.

not sure if composers took the time to write themselves somekind of cheat sheet - but i know u can buy those key wheels (or make one) with all the related keys to each key signature and how they sort of pan out.

[pianistimo]

this site probably explains things pretty well:
www.tonalityguide.com/thkeys.php

[pianistimo]

one thing that helped me was to write out all the letters of the chord in question and then try to stack them in thirds.  for instance if u have C# A and G.  u might have to look at the fifth being missing and consider it A, C#, E, G  or V7.  these occasional 'missing' notes are considered not needed to produce a similar sound to when they are added.  it's a way of simplifying - but makes analysis a little bit more complicated.

anyway, it's been a while since i've seriously done a lot of analysis - and there are many composers on this forum.  am sure they'll come up with some explainations, too.  basically, ur trying to 'decode' the skeleton of ur piece.  sometimes it all works together (the form, the analysis, the patterns of transition).  sometimes, as with modern music - it might not even be tonal in the first plac e- and u may be looking at progressing to just chord by chord analysis or 'impressions' of each 8 bars - or seqential bars (2 bars, 5 bars, 3 bars, etc).  copy the piece three times - mark it differently each time u analyze and see which is the best analysis u can come up with.  (don't be afraid to look at other's analysis of the work).

[pianistimo]

here's some questions i had in my old notes from 'music history of late 18 and early 19th century':

1. is the harmonic system modal or tonal?
2. is the general approach chordal (vertical) or contrapuntal (horizontal), eg. evidence of chords.
3. are the chords complete?
4. is the harmonic language generally diatonic or chromatic?
5. what can u say about the following harmonic progressions
a. cliched harmonic patterns or progressions
b. cadential types and their placement
c. dissonance and it's use (introduction and resolution of non-harmonic tones)
d. evidence for relationship between harmony and text
e. use of distinctive harmonic colors (seventh chords, diminished chords, etc).

say, i want to make a distinction of genre with form.  to make this distinction - u can see that a sonata, etc. is a distinct genre of music - 'genre changes from one historical epoch to another... form is a term that is used far too loosely.  often even serious writers on music use the term 'form' when they really mean 'genre.'

'form is the structural principal used in a piece of music.'  so - what i meant to suggest - was to figure out the genre first and then the corresponding form that goes with it (AB, ABA, etc).  'basically form is dependent upon patterns of units that are created in the continual flow of the music by changes in musical materials or elements.  each of those changes is termed a POINT OF ARTICULATION, and each point of articulation serves to mark off a unit of musical thought within the composition.'

these changes range from large-level ones to rather insignificant ones.  for example, at a point of articulation anyone of the following may be the source of the arituclation:  the key may change! , the stronger the articulationand thus the more important the unit being marked off in the music.'  (look for RESTS).  'for small units (subphrases and phrases) the articulation may be deliberately weak, while for larger divisions (end of a section or a movement) the articulation is likely to involve changes in several elements of music and be strong and definite.'

some potential sources of structural articulation:

melody:  changes in tessitura, range; density of melodic action; thematic module unit; contour; pitch materials; relationship between diatonic and chromatic

harmony:  changes of complexity of chord type (vocabulary); harmonic changes in key, chord or tonal rhythm; cadence type and frequency; dissonance density and type.

texture:  changes in types of texture or in texture density

sound:  changes in combination and handling of factors such as timbre, dynamic patterns and dynamic levels.



there are five basic principles of  musical form:

statement
contrast
repetition
repetition with variations
development


 

[pianistimo]

ok.  here's a list for you to figure ur forms out - and thus find the most likely place that u are changing key:

SECTIONAL FORMS:
one part - AA (often called strophic or modified strophic)
two part - AB or AABB or ABAB  - called binary form or sometimes the A unit returns again and that would be 'rounded binary' form.  in early music these forms are called virilais, rondeau, ballade.

french overture form (a special type of binary structure whose first section is characterized by dotted rhythms in a relatively slow tempo while the second section begins with imitative counterpoint in a faster tempo; there is a possible return of the style of the opening section at the end of the second section.  characteristic of the baroque period).

three-part forms - ABA :

minuet and trio, the A section is the minuet, the B the trio
da capo form (only in vocal arias from operas, oratorios, cantatas, passions, etc). 

rondo  (ABACA or ABACADA or ABACABA)
additive form - based on statement and contrast.  closed additive form if they conclude with A section.
open additive form - conclude with contrasting material.

ritornello form - a form in which contrast is offerred not only through the presentation of new thematic material but also new color and texture.  it is used primarly in fast movements of baroque concertos (full orchestra play ripieno section or tutti) soloists play solo section.  units are labelled first tutti (T1), first solo (S1) second tutti (T2) etc.

VARIATION FORM:
passacaglia and chaconne - similar to 12-bar blues - there is a 12 measure harmonic pattern repeated throughout a composition with free improvisation (variation) taking place above it. (the repetition of the theme is called ostinato) 

DEVELOPMENTAL FORMS:

sonata
sonata-allegro
(they include exposition, development, and recapitulation)  the exposition and the recapitulation will each include a primary theme or theme group (P), a transition (T) that produces great energy and modulates to a secondary key, a secondary theme or theme group (S) in the new key, and a closing section (K) that may be thematic, but normally functions as an extended cadential passage.

sonatina form (essentially the same as a sonata form except that the development is truncated to include only the retransition (RT)).

concerto form (often described as a sonata form with two different expositions).

CONTRAPUNTAL FORMS:

canon
fugue
ricercar

FORM-LESS PATTERNS:
fantasy, toccata, prelude, impromptu, etude

the composer tries to imply a free and spontaneous mood giving the impression that the music is being improvised rather than read from the notated score.

[pianistimo]

if ur wondering why i wrote all this - i am too.  ahahhh

i guess i was trying to help.  if u are analyzing music - it is often good to think of the music in it's entirety and not just the key changes.  you can find the key changes faster this way, imo. 

say, you have a piece that is a minuet and trio and u know that the B section is likely to switch keys - so you know the exact placement of the key change (versus writing it in four bars earlier when u see the transition taking place).  beethoven often sets u up for a new key and allows for smooth transitions here and there whereas other composers sometimes just suddenly set u in a new related key (or unrelated, as the case may be).

you can also look for RESTS.  they are great indicators of those 'points of articulation.'  what i do is write //  for each point of articulation. 

[kghayesh]

Wow !!!
pianistimo..... you rock !! 

Well, Thank you so so much. I'll have a lot of time trying to read all this. That link you gave me is wonderful too.

Actually I didn't need all that (disappointed, i know ). What made me make this post is a Scriabin piece, so I don't need all that talk about classical sonata style, contrapuntal forms ......etc. The piece is the Etude no.12 op.8 in D# minor. I am having some troubles finding the keys in the middle section that has so many modulations.

For example, the piece is supposed to be in D# minor ( a key with so many black keys). When I find myself suddenly playing all white keys ( I don't know it was E minor or G major, maybe you could help me in that  ).

If you want the score, it is on https://www.sheetmusicarchive.net/compositions_b/etud8_12.pdf

And really thanks so much for all that.

[pianistimo]

oh.  scriabin.  gulp.  ok.  i thought i heard on the forum about him possibly using two diatonic keys at the same time.  he's famous for some kind of chord?  arg.  i can't remember but it's like a large large chord - so that would make sense that it might have two key centers.

koji is the one to ask about this one.  i will claim ignorance.

[ganymed]

i always look at the key signature at first. If it has sharps then i raise the last sharp by a half tone then i have the parallel major key signature. For example if the given piece has one F Sharp then you raise the F sharp by a half tone which is G. The piece must be in g major. To find the parralel minor key signature just go 3 half steps up or down. In our case if you go three half tones down from G you reach the e. Which is the parallel minor of G major =D.  When it comes to flats always the second- to-last flat is the key signature .
IF your piece has two flats ( Bb and Eb) then the key signature is in BB major =o.
 And to get to know whether the piece is in the major key signature or the parallel minor you look at the first and the last note, coz they always start and end with the tonic.

[phil13]

Wow !!!
pianistimo..... you rock !! 

Well, Thank you so so much. I'll have a lot of time trying to read all this. That link you gave me is wonderful too.

Actually I didn't need all that (disappointed, i know ). What made me make this post is a Scriabin piece, so I don't need all that talk about classical sonata style, contrapuntal forms ......etc. The piece is the Etude no.12 op.8 in D# minor. I am having some troubles finding the keys in the middle section that has so many modulations.

For example, the piece is supposed to be in D# minor ( a key with so many black keys). When I find myself suddenly playing all white keys ( I don't know it was E minor or G major, maybe you could help me in that  ).

If you want the score, it is on https://www.sheetmusicarchive.net/compositions_b/etud8_12.pdf

And really thanks so much for all that.

Luckily, I analyzed this before I began playing it (almost finished now)

In the middle section, the first subsection (the tranquil theme based on the main theme) is in the key of F# minor (F#m7 bass), the second subsection (tranquil theme's repeat) is in E minor (Em7 bass) and then the last section before the main theme returns starts in D major, then modulates to C# minor, B major, and finally D# minor to prepare for the main theme's return. Positively thrilling.

Hope this helps you out 

Phil

[kghayesh]

Thanks.
I find that right and logical too. I just checked the score.

I tend to use that analysis to help be interpreting and playing the piece. For example, Usually, I play passages that are in major keys powerfully and majestically. While passages in minor keys i tend to play them in a softer and more melancholy style.

It is not the rule all the time of course, but in this particular Etude it might help greatly coz the middle part needs some contrast and coloring.