Beginner Finding the key of a song

[eb424]

Hi can anyone tell me how i find the key of a song.. I have the notation only in letter format and want to buy the sheet music and get a backing track.2. The song is when i'm 64 it has 2 sharps D# and C# and 1 flat a Bb..Thanks all..

 

[nigeld]

I think the original was in C major, but I’m not sure.
The tune starts on the 3rd and the first phrase ends on the tonic.

i.e. in the first phrase “When I get older, losing my hair”, “When” is on the 3rd (E in the original) and “Hair” is the tonic (C in the original). The tune contains accidentals that are not in the key signature.

If you want to play it with a backing track in concert C, the tenor notes will be in D and the alto notes will be in A. But you need to check whether you need to transpose up or down to fit comfortably within the range of the instrument,

 

[Nikki]

Hi can anyone tell me how i find the key of a song.. I have the notation only in letter format and want to buy the sheet music and get a backing track.2. The song is when i'm 64 it has 2 sharps D# and C# and 1 flat a Bb..Thanks all..

sorry. It was written in Db Major but recorded in C major.
I know that’s not really helpful.

 

[Greg Strange]

It's in the key of D in Hal Leonard's The Best Fake Book Ever Bb Instruments 2nd Edition...page 801...

Greg S.

 

[eb424]

Thanks Nikki how did you know that lol

 

[nigeld]

Db Major

The song was written and recorded in C major, but on the Beatles album the tape was speeded up to put it into Db.

 

[eb424]

is the book worth buying Greg...

 

[Nikki]

Thanks Nikki how did you know that lol

I don’t

 

[eb424]

I got the copy i play from Mark Archers book he has sent the backing track but wanted to know if you can tell the key buy the sharps and flats and how.. Is it the wheel of fortune or circle of fifths but i'm now trying to pick up the music reading thingy.. its difficult huh

 

[Nikki]

The song was written and recorded in C major, but on the Beatles album the tape was speeded up to put it into Db.

I think this is opposite. It was written in Db major but recorded in C major to suite McCartneys voice

 

[Greg Strange]

is the book worth buying Greg...

Yeah I think so - I have a couple of the Hal Leonard fake books for B-flat instruments - The Best Fake Book Ever 2nd Edition as mentioned above and The Ultimate Fake Book 4th Edition...I also have four of the Sher's Real Books for E-flat instruments...Volumes 1, 2 & 3 and The Standards one...

Greg S.

 

[eb424]

The copy ive got starts

E D# EGEGAGC C E (Octave) CA D (octave)

First line if it helps..

 

[Greg Strange]

The copy ive got starts

E D# EGEGAGC C E (Octave) CA D (octave)

First line if it helps..

I think you may have sheet music for C Melody instruments - the first note for B-flat instruments is F#...transpose your version up two semi-tones for Bb instruments...

Greg S.

 

[eb424]

Thanks Greg.. when you say 2 semi tones.....is each line of the stave a semi tone or whole tone sorry your communicating with a complete novice....

 

[nigeld]

The copy ive got starts

E D# EGEGAGC C E (Octave) CA D (octave)

First line if it helps..

C major.

 

[eb424]

Does c major have D# C# and Bb Nigeld

 

[nigeld]

Does c major have D# C# and Bb Nigeld

Not normally, but it does if the composer decides to include them in the tune, which he did in this case.
Notes like these, which are not in the key signature, are called "accidentals".

 

[eb424]

AAAAAAAAAAARGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH..... Ahem.... throat cleared.. How do you get to know all this... its a minefield, LOL

 

[Greg Strange]

Thanks Greg.. when you say 2 semi tones.....is each line of the stave a semi tone or whole tone sorry your communicating with a complete novice....

The first note in your version above is E, therefore 2 semi-tones above E would be F# - E one semi-tone above F, and two semi-tones above is F#. It might be easier to get a bit of paper and write down all the twelve notes...C, C#/Db, D, D#/Eb, E, F, F#/ Gb, G, G#/Ab, A, A#/Bb, B, and back to C again...having something written should be easier to count out the semi-tones...each note is a semi-tone...

I hope it helps...

Greg S.

 

[Halfers]

I doubt McCartney himself would know what key the song is in. He just wrote it.