Chords for Accidentals, Keys and Key Signatures
Tempo:
109.575 bpm
Chords used:
D
G
F#
A
E
Tuning:Standard Tuning (EADGBE)Capo:+0fret
Start Jamming...
Okay, so let's talk about sharps and flats some more, shall we?
When a sharp sign or a flat sign is written in front of a note, we call it an accidental.
Accidentals have special powers, in that they affect any note on the same line or space for the remainder of the bar.
Like this bar looks like it only has one F-sharp, right?
But in fact it has two, here and here.
Because the accidental's power lasts for the duration of the bar.
No need to write in a second accidental, this keeps things nice and clean.
Question then, how many F-sharps are in this bar?
Answer, none.
Why?
Because the accidental in the previous bar has no power in this one.
If we want to make this guy sharp, we have to write in another accidental.
Okay, so follow-up question.
How many sharps are in the bar now?
Answer, one.
You might have said that this guy is also an F-sharp, but remember the accidental only has power over the line or space it is placed on.
Not over every possible F-sharp.
What do we do when we want to sharpen this guy?
Yep, throw in another accidental.
But like, even with all these rules, the music looks really cluttered and messy.
And all it's really telling us is, hey, every time you see an F, please play an F-sharp.
Surely there's a neater way of indicating this.
And it turns out, there is.
To explain, every piece of music uses the notes of a scale.
This piece uses notes found in the C major scale.
So we say that the piece is in the key of C major.
[D]
[F#] This tune uses notes found in the G major scale.
[D] So we say it's in the key of G major.
[A] Whatever scale a piece takes its notes from will be our key.
Anyways, we can write the scale of G major in two ways, like this or this.
[E]
In the last example, I've pulled out the accidental and put it at the beginning of the tune.
Similarly, we can write a tune in the key of G major in two ways, like this
[G]
[N] or this.
[G]
I've done the same thing again.
I've pulled out all the F-sharps and condensed them into a single F-sharp at the beginning of the tune.
This master accidental, if you will, is called a key signature.
Key signatures are always placed between the clef and the time signature.
And they tell us two very important things.
The key of the piece and what sharps or flats to play.
The key is easy.
Just look at the key signature and try to figure out what scale has the same accidentals as is shown in the key signature.
Like before, find the scale and you find the key.
In this case, we're in the key of G major because the scale of G major contains a single sharp and that sharp is F-sharp.
Having the F-sharp at the beginning also tells us that every time we see F, unless otherwise indicated, we should play an F-sharp instead.
[D]
And this works for other keys too.
The key signature of this tune is empty.
So there are no sharps or flats in this tune.
What scale has no sharps or flats?
C major.
So we're in the key of C major.
And there you have it.
Accidentals, keys and key signatures done.
Music quiz!
Very simple.
What key is this piece in?
[Cm]
Let me know in the comments below what you think.
Happy music theorying everyone.
When a sharp sign or a flat sign is written in front of a note, we call it an accidental.
Accidentals have special powers, in that they affect any note on the same line or space for the remainder of the bar.
Like this bar looks like it only has one F-sharp, right?
But in fact it has two, here and here.
Because the accidental's power lasts for the duration of the bar.
No need to write in a second accidental, this keeps things nice and clean.
Question then, how many F-sharps are in this bar?
Answer, none.
Why?
Because the accidental in the previous bar has no power in this one.
If we want to make this guy sharp, we have to write in another accidental.
Okay, so follow-up question.
How many sharps are in the bar now?
Answer, one.
You might have said that this guy is also an F-sharp, but remember the accidental only has power over the line or space it is placed on.
Not over every possible F-sharp.
What do we do when we want to sharpen this guy?
Yep, throw in another accidental.
But like, even with all these rules, the music looks really cluttered and messy.
And all it's really telling us is, hey, every time you see an F, please play an F-sharp.
Surely there's a neater way of indicating this.
And it turns out, there is.
To explain, every piece of music uses the notes of a scale.
This piece uses notes found in the C major scale.
So we say that the piece is in the key of C major.
[D]
[F#] This tune uses notes found in the G major scale.
[D] So we say it's in the key of G major.
[A] Whatever scale a piece takes its notes from will be our key.
Anyways, we can write the scale of G major in two ways, like this or this.
[E]
In the last example, I've pulled out the accidental and put it at the beginning of the tune.
Similarly, we can write a tune in the key of G major in two ways, like this
[G]
[N] or this.
[G]
I've done the same thing again.
I've pulled out all the F-sharps and condensed them into a single F-sharp at the beginning of the tune.
This master accidental, if you will, is called a key signature.
Key signatures are always placed between the clef and the time signature.
And they tell us two very important things.
The key of the piece and what sharps or flats to play.
The key is easy.
Just look at the key signature and try to figure out what scale has the same accidentals as is shown in the key signature.
Like before, find the scale and you find the key.
In this case, we're in the key of G major because the scale of G major contains a single sharp and that sharp is F-sharp.
Having the F-sharp at the beginning also tells us that every time we see F, unless otherwise indicated, we should play an F-sharp instead.
[D]
And this works for other keys too.
The key signature of this tune is empty.
So there are no sharps or flats in this tune.
What scale has no sharps or flats?
C major.
So we're in the key of C major.
And there you have it.
Accidentals, keys and key signatures done.
Music quiz!
Very simple.
What key is this piece in?
[Cm]
Let me know in the comments below what you think.
Happy music theorying everyone.
Key:
D
G
F#
A
E
D
G
F#
_ Okay, so let's talk about sharps and flats some more, shall we?
When a sharp sign or a flat sign is written in front of a note, we call it an accidental. _
Accidentals have special powers, in that they affect any note on the same line or space for the remainder of the bar.
Like this bar looks like it only has one F-sharp, right?
But in fact it has two, here and here.
Because the accidental's power lasts for the duration of the bar.
No need to write in a second accidental, this keeps things nice and clean.
Question then, how many F-sharps are in this bar?
Answer, none.
Why?
Because the accidental in the previous bar has no power in this one.
If we want to make this guy sharp, we have to write in another accidental.
Okay, so follow-up question.
How many sharps are in the bar now?
Answer, one.
You might have said that this guy is also an F-sharp, but remember the accidental only has power over the line or space it is placed on.
Not over every possible F-sharp.
What do we do when we want to sharpen this guy?
Yep, throw in another accidental. _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ But like, even with all these rules, the music looks really cluttered and messy.
And all it's really telling us is, hey, every time you see an F, please play an F-sharp.
_ Surely there's a neater way of indicating this.
And it turns out, there is.
To explain, every piece of music uses the notes of a scale.
This piece uses notes found in the C major scale.
So we say that the piece is in the key of C major.
[D] _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ [F#] This tune uses notes found in the G major scale.
[D] So we say it's in the key of G major. _ _ _ _ _ _
[A] _ Whatever scale a piece takes its notes from will be our key.
Anyways, we can write the scale of G major in two ways, like this or _ _ this.
_ [E] _ _ _
In the last example, I've pulled out the accidental and put it at the beginning of the tune.
Similarly, we can write a tune in the key of G major in two ways, like this _ _
_ _ _ _ [G] _ _ _ _
[N] or this.
_ _ [G] _ _ _
_ _ _ _ I've done the same thing again.
I've pulled out all the F-sharps and condensed them into a single F-sharp at the beginning of the tune.
This master accidental, if you will, is called a key signature.
Key signatures are always placed between the clef and the time signature.
And they tell us two very important things.
The key of the piece and what sharps or flats to play.
The key is easy.
Just look at the key signature and try to figure out what scale has the same accidentals as is shown in the key signature.
Like before, find the scale and you find the key.
In this case, we're in the key of G major because the scale of G major contains a single sharp and that sharp is F-sharp.
Having the F-sharp at the beginning also tells us that every time we see F, unless otherwise indicated, we should play an F-sharp instead.
_ _ _ [D] _ _
_ _ And this works for other keys too.
The key signature of this tune is empty.
So there are no sharps or flats in this tune.
What scale has no sharps or flats?
C major.
So we're in the key of C major.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ And there you have it.
Accidentals, keys and key signatures done. _
Music quiz!
Very simple.
What key is this piece in?
_ _ _ [Cm] _ _ _
Let me know in the comments below what you think.
Happy music theorying everyone. _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
When a sharp sign or a flat sign is written in front of a note, we call it an accidental. _
Accidentals have special powers, in that they affect any note on the same line or space for the remainder of the bar.
Like this bar looks like it only has one F-sharp, right?
But in fact it has two, here and here.
Because the accidental's power lasts for the duration of the bar.
No need to write in a second accidental, this keeps things nice and clean.
Question then, how many F-sharps are in this bar?
Answer, none.
Why?
Because the accidental in the previous bar has no power in this one.
If we want to make this guy sharp, we have to write in another accidental.
Okay, so follow-up question.
How many sharps are in the bar now?
Answer, one.
You might have said that this guy is also an F-sharp, but remember the accidental only has power over the line or space it is placed on.
Not over every possible F-sharp.
What do we do when we want to sharpen this guy?
Yep, throw in another accidental. _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ But like, even with all these rules, the music looks really cluttered and messy.
And all it's really telling us is, hey, every time you see an F, please play an F-sharp.
_ Surely there's a neater way of indicating this.
And it turns out, there is.
To explain, every piece of music uses the notes of a scale.
This piece uses notes found in the C major scale.
So we say that the piece is in the key of C major.
[D] _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ [F#] This tune uses notes found in the G major scale.
[D] So we say it's in the key of G major. _ _ _ _ _ _
[A] _ Whatever scale a piece takes its notes from will be our key.
Anyways, we can write the scale of G major in two ways, like this or _ _ this.
_ [E] _ _ _
In the last example, I've pulled out the accidental and put it at the beginning of the tune.
Similarly, we can write a tune in the key of G major in two ways, like this _ _
_ _ _ _ [G] _ _ _ _
[N] or this.
_ _ [G] _ _ _
_ _ _ _ I've done the same thing again.
I've pulled out all the F-sharps and condensed them into a single F-sharp at the beginning of the tune.
This master accidental, if you will, is called a key signature.
Key signatures are always placed between the clef and the time signature.
And they tell us two very important things.
The key of the piece and what sharps or flats to play.
The key is easy.
Just look at the key signature and try to figure out what scale has the same accidentals as is shown in the key signature.
Like before, find the scale and you find the key.
In this case, we're in the key of G major because the scale of G major contains a single sharp and that sharp is F-sharp.
Having the F-sharp at the beginning also tells us that every time we see F, unless otherwise indicated, we should play an F-sharp instead.
_ _ _ [D] _ _
_ _ And this works for other keys too.
The key signature of this tune is empty.
So there are no sharps or flats in this tune.
What scale has no sharps or flats?
C major.
So we're in the key of C major.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ And there you have it.
Accidentals, keys and key signatures done. _
Music quiz!
Very simple.
What key is this piece in?
_ _ _ [Cm] _ _ _
Let me know in the comments below what you think.
Happy music theorying everyone. _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _