Episode 38 has tips on how to identify a key signature without memorizing them all and what keys would be common to modulate to.
Episode 38 has tips on how to identify a key signature without memorizing them all (0:49) and what keys would be common to modulate to (3:58). You can also double check what you need to know for the exam (7:31).
Question of the day: What is the relative key of C# major? (8:03)
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Hi and welcome to the APsolute Recap: Music Theory Edition. Today’s episode will recap Key Relationships
Lets Zoom out:
We’re in Unit 2 Music Fundamentals II
Topics 2.1-2.3
Our Big idea is pitch
How do you identify a key signature without memorizing them all? What keys would be common to modulate to? What do you actually need to know for the exam? Stay tuned.
Lets Zoom in:
Sharps are labeled in the order: FCGDAEB. One way to identify the key signature of sharps is by looking at the last sharp and labeling it as the leading tone. For example, the key signature of E major is F#C#G#D#. The leading tone is D#, so the tonic is a minor second away, E major. I know what you’re thinking, not all music is in a major key. Count a minor third lower than E to find the minor key of C#.
Flats are labeled in the opposite order of sharps: BEADGCF. One way to identify the key signature of flats is by taking the second to last flat as the name of the key. For example, in Ab major, the key signature is Bb, Eb, Ab, Db. The second to last flat is Ab, making it Ab major. But what if it minor? Count a minor third lower than Ab and voila, F minor.
There are three types of minor keys: natural minor, melodic minor and harmonic minor. Natural minor has the same exact key signature as it’s relative major. (Natural Minor)
Melodic minor has a raised 6th and 7th scale degree on the ascending, and is natural minor descending. (Melodic Minor) Harmonic minor has a raised 7th degree to create a leading tone and help with harmonies. (Harmonic Minor)
Sometimes in a longer musical passage, the composer may decide to modulate to another key. The connection between the two keys could be the relative, parallel, closely related or distantly related keys. The relative key will have the same key signature but new tonic, typically between major and minor. For example, G major and E minor are relative because they both have F# in the key signature. Here is an example of an excerpt of Mary Had a Little Lamb from major to relative minor. (Relative Example) The parallel key will have the same tonic, but different mode. Again, this would be between major and minor. For example, G major would have F#, and G minor would have Bb and Eb. The tonic is G for those parallel keys. Here is the same example, but with parallel keys. (Parallel Example)
A closely related key is when the key signature is only different by one accidental. For example G major’s closely related key could be D major or B minor, both with F# and C# in the key signature. In turn, G major’s closely related keys could be C major and A minor, with one sharp removed from the key signature. This example shows G major to D major. (Closely Related Key Example)
Another way to find a related key is to look at the keys associated with the tonic triads. Take G major again for example. The supertonic key would be A minor, the mediant key would be B minor, and so on. One common use of this would be to a neighboring key, upon the repeat of a chorus in a pop song or musical number. These might be more distantly related keys, since their key signatures would vary by more than one accidental. Here is an example of a distantly related key, from G major to A major. (Distantly Related Key Example)
On the AP Music Theory Exam you will not be expected to listen and identify the letter name of a mode. You will however need to label if a section changes from major to the relative minor.
To recap……
Sharps are labeled in the order: FCGDAEB, and flats in opposite order. The connection between the two keys could be the relative, parallel, closely related or distantly related keys.
Coming up next on the Apsolute RecAP Music Theory Edition: Seventh Chords
Today’s Question of the day is about relative keys.
Question: What is the relative key of C# major?