All Questions
Tagged with composition key
37
questions
1
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2
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142
views
How can I identify the key of a piece I'm composing?
When I want to start a new composition, I never know how to determine the key, so I often end up with something that looks like this: No key signature, and lots of accidentals. How do I choose a key?
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1
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3
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125
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Is it possible to write a song “pitch first” or “key first”?
I believe there are 3 possible main elements to a song (not minding dynamics, articulation etc):
The Type of Sounds + their order & The Amount of Sounds (Vowels, Consonants & Syllables & ...
- 347
6
votes
4
answers
712
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Why does this melody tend to be in the key of F Major rather than in the key of C Major
When composing, I generally start with C Major to be simple, but very often, I can hear that in the melody another key is suggested.
Here is such an example :
The melody starts by leaping to the VI ...
- 123
5
votes
3
answers
787
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Greek modes, minor and major scales
By definition, a major scale is:
W W H W W W H
similarly, a minor scale is:
W H W W H W W
Now, the standard notion of Greek modes begins with: a major scale, and the construction of the modes with ...
- 273
-1
votes
3
answers
648
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Solo piano: Why not compose everything in or including the keys C major and A minor? [duplicate]
This is a follow-up question to What's the point of keys other than C and Am?
After going through that question, I wrote down the key general facts:
The C major and A minor keys have the simplest ...
- 415
8
votes
8
answers
996
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How can Key be understood differently when composing music vs playing it as a musician?
When I was younger, for years, I played musical instruments such as the french horn, violin, acoustic ("standing") bass, electric bass, piano, and electric guitar. During these years, I also ...
- 201
2
votes
1
answer
130
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The reading of a song: what a beginner in composition needs to pay attention when reading a song? [closed]
Firstly, I'm a beginner in composition and all of my songs were quite "intuitive". I'm at a stage where I really need to know music theory in order to produce better songs.
I) Introduction
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- 273
2
votes
2
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175
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Doubt on scale shape creation and plagiarism
First of all,
-Tone := T
-Semi-Tone:= ST.
Suppose you have the well know C major scale pattern:
T T ST T T T ST
Well, this is just one example of what we can do in music: ...
- 273
0
votes
2
answers
87
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how are scales of the same class (e.g. major scales) musically different? [duplicate]
I have recently learned the principles of the standard twelve-tone octave applied to major and minor scales. I understand each scale is defined by its main note, and the pattern of intervals, of half ...
- 127
25
votes
7
answers
8k
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Why does G# sound right when my melody is in C major?
I composed the following melody using notes from the C major scale. In the third bar a G# (Ab) seemed a natural choice to complete the loop, but I don’t understand why.
G# is not in C major nor its ...
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5
votes
5
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1k
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How is it possible to compose music with chromatic scale when it uses notes other than that of the key of the song?
I'm a beginner in the music world. So my question may seem stupid and confusing. So I'm gonna elaborate a bit.
Say, I want to write a track in the key of D. So I have the notes D,E,F#,G,A,B & C#. ...
- 63
3
votes
3
answers
336
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What criteria do composers use to choose the key of a song? [duplicate]
I would like to know what criteria composers use when choosing the key of a song. In the case of music composed for orchestra or, in general, for instruments with limited tessitura or tuned in a ...
- 760
1
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2
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503
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Is B major harder or easier to play on strings than Ab major?
I started improvising a nocturne in B major that I think I will write for a piano sextet(string quintet + Piano). But, there is one thing I feel that I need to ask first before I get 25% of the way ...
- 6,614
1
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0
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207
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What key to use for the Trio part of my Scherzo? [closed]
As you know from my previous question about tempo conservation and time signatures, I am writing a Scherzo in Eb major. Now, if I were writing this for solo piano, I would gladly do an Eb to Ebm key ...
- 6,614
3
votes
2
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2k
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Modulation from D major to D minor, should I go sudden or gradual?
I am composing a Scherzo in the key of D major and I have the first section of my Scherzo already written down. Now I'm into the second section of the Scherzo that precedes the Trio. And in this ...
- 6,614