What are musical keys?

Answer 1

A key is a set of seven notes with a certain number of sharps or flats. To be more accurate, a key is really just a set of pitches with an established tonal center. There are two modes, major and minor.

It's very easy to remember the appropriate sharps and flats for a given key.

Start with C Major: no sharps or flats (CDEFGAB, with C as the tonal center)

Now, drop five notes below C, which is F. The key of F Major has one flat (F G A Bb C D E).

Drop five notes below F, which is the key of B-flat Major. B-flat Major has two flats (Bb C D Eb F G A).

An easier way to remember the major keys is by memorizing the set of steps and half-steps between each note, which is the same for every major key. With major keys, it is (whole, whole, half, whole, whole, whole, half). A whole step is two half steps.

So, let's say you wanted to know the key of E-flat. The first relationship is a whole step. A whole step from Eb is F. Next is a whole step. A whole step from F is G. Next is a half-step. A half-step from G is Ab. If you follow this set, you discover the key of E-flat Major is (Eb F G Ab Bb C D Eb).

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Now, for the minor mode. The set of steps and half-steps between each note for the minor mode (whole, half, whole, whole, half, whole, whole). If you look at the set for the major mode, you will see this is really the same set, but the last two have been placed at the beginning.

I hope this helps.

Answer 2

It's the key for all sheets. For major key: F, C, G, D, A, E. For minor key: B, E, A, D, G, F.

Answer 3

keys are a set of specific notes that are always played sharp, or flat, or neither.

example: key of B-flat includes: B-flat, E-flat, and A-flat.

Answer 4

The ones hanging off the school janitor's belt!!!