Change Musical Key with Magic!

It's the third year of Let's Play Music class and time to learn the MAGIC of key change.  

Make A Major Scale

In a recent article, I showed you how you can choose any key to be the tonic, DO, and build a major scale using a pattern of whole steps and half steps (WWHWWWH).  Yes, DO can be on any note. What does it look like to play a song in one key (Do is C) and switch to another key (Do is F or G)? Let's check it out!

Magic Keys Song

It happens quickly in class, so here is a replay of what you saw in class:

 


Let's review all the music theory that we just mashed into one powerful minute, and YES when I ask these probing details of my students, they know the answers!

The Key of C
1. If there are no sharps or flats next to the clef, you're in the key of C.  
2. We say 'key of C' to mean that DO is C. 
3. A red chord (I chord) is always Do-Mi-Sol, so it is spelled C-E-G.
4. You can make a major scale, starting on C, playing all the white keys.

The Key of F
The Key Signature is the clef at the beginning of the song, with sharps or flats next to it. It announces where DO is.

1. If there is one flat next to the clef, you're in the key of F. 
2. The one flat will always show up on B. 
3. 'Key of F' is another way of saying that DO is now F.
4. A red chord is always Do-Mi-Sol, but now it is spelled F-A-C.
5. FA gets the flat. (Fa is the fa-lat)

So, you can make a major scale starting on F, but it only works if you always change the B to a B-flat. As you play a song in F, you have to remember to always change every B to B-flat, that's why the flat is printed at the beginning of the song next to the clef. It would get too tiring and messy to write a flat next to every B in the song.  

The Key of G 
1. If there is one sharp next to the clef, you're in the key of G.
2. The one sharp will aways be an F.
3. 'Key of G' means DO is G.
4. A red chord is always Do-Mi-Sol, but now it is spelled G-B-D.
5. TI is the tone that needs a sharp. (Do is G because the F# is a TI!)

You can make a major scale or play a song in G, but only if you always change every F to F-sharp.


- Gina Weibel, M.S.
Let's Play Music Teacher