Just quickly, what key is this. It's otherwise wonderful so check it out.

AndieZ

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 25, 2016
Messages
306
Reaction score
5
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILHEgTZ7dHs

I just love this link. It's got just about all i need to know. But being such a newbie, as you all know by now, I just don't know what key it's in.

And of course some may ask, what does it matter? I don't think it does matter for this song as I can sing it in this key. But I just want to know.

I also have the strumming pattern from somewhere else and once i've learnt how to play these chords, using my one minute changes exercises, I don't think this is beyond me.

Thank you in advance.
 
It's in the key of Bb major
 
Lovely. Thank you.

Actually i just realised that i could have worked that out myself (with googles help) since there's the key signature. Duh!
 
Last edited:
Bb, as you may or may not know, is a common orchestra key, but also a fairly popular piano key. Ms. Jones is a fluent pianist, so she does a bit in Bb and if I remember correctly, Eb. These are slightly awkward keys for a beginner on the fretted instruments, so it's reasonable to transpose it for your own use.

It's easy to transpose up one full step. It would then = key of C. Going down a half step and you'd get another fairly easy Ukulele key of A major. Even if you're brand new to music this is still an easy operation and an everyday activity that's simple to learn. To transpose upward to the key of C, print out the music ( or perhaps a screen capture ). Then simply add two half steps to each chord name. Use a bright, soft pencil and write this new chord name above the original chord. So counting from Bb, you'd say to yourself: "Bee flat, Bee, Cee", and so on with each of the other chords on the sheet ( you have to name the notes since we don't have names for the steps between notes ).

Hope this isn't so elementary that it's insulting.
 
Last edited:
Point, i am reluctant to consider transposing it upwards because then I wouldn't be able to sing it. It would be too high.

But on to the matter of transposing, What I do know is the major scale and I could probably find out the right scale for Bflat major by googling it.

Are you saying that if for arguements sake, I want to transpose down a key or half key (?) to A. Will Bflatmaj7 become A maj 7? And that D+ will become Dflat+ (does that chord exist?) and C7 will become Bflat7

btw what's the difference between Bflat maj 7 and Bflat7. Aren't they the same?

F7(sus4) would presumably become E7(sus4).

As you can see, i have tried to move each chord down by a half tone on the scale and kept the same type of chord. But the chord names i've ended up with don't sound very easy so i'm not sure i'm doing it right.

Yes its elementary but I am at kindergarten on music theory so its ideal. I can read music but am not a piano player. I've only learnt to read recently so that i can sing from the sheet or work it out to sing, and play a long run to sing with on the piano for practice.
 
Bb7 and Bbmaj 7 are two different chords.

A "major 7th" chord contains the note which would be the natural or normal 7th tone in that particular scale. A Bb major scale is, in order, Bb, C, D, Eb, F, G, A, & Bb. The "A" is the 7th tone. If we don't alter that tone in any way (i.e., make it a sharp or flat), and include that natural A in our Bb major chord, that chord becomes a major 7th chord.

On the other hand, if we alter that A and make it an Ab, that's known as a flat 7th. Including that Ab in our Bb major chord makes it a Bb7 chord. There's a longer, more complicated name for that chord, but in common usage for the past several decades, when we say "Bb7" or E7 or A7 etc., we mean a major chord with the flat 7th tone included.

Hope that's not opening a music theory can of worms; you asked the question!
 
Basically, if you know the piano keyboard, you can transpose by taking every chord down the same amount, making sure to AT THE LEAST lower the letter name. If you are going down a (Major) 2nd, every D would become a C and so on.

The trick is in dealing with 1/2 steps and whole steps. That's where the piano can be useful.

In your case, you wanted to transpose down a half step:

Old Key: Bb C D Eb F G A Bb (I chord: Bb, IV chord: Eb, V Chord F(7))

New Key A B C# D E F# G# A (I chord: A, IV chord D, V Chord E(7))

Bb becomes A

Bbmaj7 becomes Amaj7

C7 becomes B7 (remember, no black key between C and B)

D+ (Daug) becomes C#+ (C#aug) (It isn't actually Db, as in the key of A, there is no Db and in PURE theory, they are actually different notes, but we make it work as the same note)

F7(sus4) does become E7(sus4)

Bbmaj 7 and Bb7 are two different chords: Bbmaj7 would be Bb, D, F, and A (a major 3rd at the top). A Bb7 is Bb D, F, Ab.

F7(sus4) would presumably become E7(sus4), and usually will both resolve to their non-suspended counterparts before going back to the tonic (e.g. E7sus4, E7, A (or for fun, F#m)

You're almost there! Keep going!
 
And yes thank you for clarifying the difference between those two Bflat chords Charley. I needed to know that. I'll have to process the detail another day. Its 5am here.

I think that answer is music to my poor ears Choirguy. I think you understand my level well.
 
Top Bottom