Music Theory: Lesson 5
The Major Keys
By Zack Cart
Prerequisites:
Music Theory: Lessons 1-4
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Assuming that you have read, understood, and internalized the preceding four lesson, this Theory lesson should be quite simple to understand, and swift to memorize. Finally, we arrive at the true "terrain" of Western music, the Key. A Key is, at its most basic, nothing more than a set of seven specific notes, all or most of which are used as the primary pitches throughout a piece of music.
We will be focussing entirely on the set of notes in Major keys in this lesson, although future lessons will expand our understanding.
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The process for determining which notes are the seven primary notes in a given key is quite simple, and requires only that you can create and identify intervals. Major keys are named for the note which is most prominent, the note at which the music is most resolved, the note which our ears keep expecting and desiring to hear. This note is called the "tonic." For example, the key of E Major has E as a tonic. The Major key which has Ab as a tonic is called Ab major.
Let's start with a tonic. For now, A will be our tonic, and we shall determine which other notes exist in the key of A major.
The process is simple. There are six intervals above the tonic which we must find. These notes will form the remainder of the Key.
The intervals above the Tonic are as follows:
Major Second - This note will be known as the "Second Degree."
Major Third - This note will be known as the "Third Degree."
Perfect Fourth - This note will be known as the "Fourth Degree."
Perfect Fifth - This note will be known as the "Fifth Degree."
Major Sixth - This note will be known as the "Sixth Degree."
Major Seventh - This note will be known as the "Seventh Degree."
If we find these intervals above A, we get the following:
B - Major Second
C# - Major Third
D - Perfect Fourth
E - Perfect Fifth
F# - Major Sixth
G# - Major Seventh
Thus we find the Key of A Major to contain the following notes: A, B, C#, D, E, F#, and G#.
It really is that simple!
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A good proof-check, to ensure that you have correctly formed the Key, is to reckon the intervals from one note to the next as well. The following should be true:
From the Tonic to the Second degree should be a Major Second.
From the Second Degree to the Third Degree should be a Major Second.
From the Third Degree to the Fourth Degree should be a Minor Second.
From the Fourth Degree to the Fifth Degree should be a Major Second.
From the Fifth Degree to the Sixth Degree should be a Major Second.
From the Sixth Degree to the Seventh Degree should be a Major Second.
From the Seventh Degree to the Tonic and octave higher should be a Minor Second.
If following this pattern of intervals thorugh the notes of your key takes you from your tonic, to your tonic again an octave higher, you have correcly created the Major Key!
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As with the preceeding theory lessons, practicing writing out Keys and playing them, one note at a time. When you play the notes of a Major key in order, one at a time, you are actually playing the Major scale of the same name. So, if you learn all the keys, and learn to play them note by note, you have also learned all the Major Scales, at no additional effort!
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It is a good idea to memorize as many of the keys as possible. Until you do, however, here is a table showing the notes of each.
|
Major Key |
Tonic |
2nd Degree |
3rd Degree |
4th Degree |
5th Degree |
6th Degree |
7th Degree |
|
C |
C |
D |
E |
F |
G |
A |
B |
|
G |
G |
A |
B |
C |
D |
E |
F# |
|
D |
D |
E |
F# |
G |
A |
B |
C# |
|
A |
A |
B |
C# |
D |
E |
F# |
G# |
|
E |
E |
F# |
G# |
A |
B |
C# |
D# |
|
B |
B |
C# |
D# |
E |
F# |
G# |
A# |
|
F# |
F# |
G# |
A# |
B |
C# |
D# |
E# |
|
Gb |
Gb |
Ab |
Bb |
Cb |
Db |
Eb |
F |
|
Db |
Db |
Eb |
F |
Gb |
Ab |
Bb |
C |
|
Ab |
Ab |
Bb |
C |
Db |
Eb |
F |
G |
|
Eb |
Eb |
F |
G |
Ab |
Bb |
C |
D |
|
Bb |
Bb |
C |
D |
Eb |
F |
G |
A |
|
F |
F |
G |
A |
Bb |
C |
D |
E |