How do you know what key a piano piece is in?

Answer 1

Sometimes it is the note that the song keeps refering back to. But one way is to find the last note and see where it is on the staff, and it's either that key in major, or the relative minor key. Also look at the first note. The chorus or refrain a lot of times is the key of the song, even if the song starts off minor. I kind of get a feel for the key by the first chord of the first verse; the intro may be a different chord like a fifth in a blues song. An example is Twinkle Twinkle Little Star; the first note, and the first chord is the key, and at the end of the first line the song reverts back to the root, or key; "Twinkle twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are." "Twinkle" is C, and "are" is C. The song is in C major. you count the number of flats or sharps that are in the key. if there are sharps then you count them out (FCGDAEB which is the order of sharps) then you count one letter after in the alphebetic order. So two sharps for example would be in the key of D. If there are flats you count out the number of flats (BEADGCF) then you count back one in the order of flats. So if there were 3 flats in the key signature you would be in the key of E flat. its a little confusing at first but after you do it for awhile it just comes natural.

Answer 2

First you need to know your scales. All of them, white and black keys.

Then, look to the left of the first line of the first page (key signature). Look at how many sharp/natural signs there are. If you know your scales really well, you should be able to tell pretty darn quickly, so scales are actually pretty important.

However, sometimes composers will (but rarely) put extra sharps or flats next to each note, instead of putting it in the key signature. Watch out for that. If you look at the notes with those accidental signs, and can find out which ones would've been in the key signature, then it's pretty much the same.

Sometimes, if they have runs in the music, you may be able to find out also what key it is in, because runs will probably be runs of the key that the key signature has. But do note that, throughout a piece, the key can change.

Um...do you have a theory teacher? Or a piano teacher?

Answer 3

A key of a song is what note or scale the entire song is based out of. If you have a talented ear you can assume what the key is by playing a note that sounds good with all of the chords in the song. But, if you have access to it, you can find the key of a piece right before the Time Signature on a music staff.

Answer 4

What I normally do is play the note on the piano, find a similar note on the guitar, and try playing notes around that one until I have found the same note on the guitar that I have on the piano. Note that some piano keys might not be on the guitar, if they are too low or too high, but most notes around the middle of the keyboard should have an equal note on the guitar. Another way to do it is if you know the name of the note you are playing on the piano, then you should be able to find it on the guitar by remembering which string on the guitar is which. On the thickest string, it will normally be an E if played open, then the note will move up half a step each fret. There are some exceptions, so any note that does not have a black key next to it on the piano will not have a sharp/flat fret on the guitar. For example, the sisth string (thickest) open is E, first fret is F (there is no E# or F♭), second fret is F#, third is G, and so on. Fifth string is A, fourth string is D, third string is G, second is B, and thinnest is also E, two octaves higher than the sixth string. Say you are looking for a C. Look for a string that is close to C, the B string is closest. Then move up one fret (No B#) and you have a C, which should match one C up from middle C on the piano.

Answer 5

A piano doesn't "have a key", and just like most other insturments, it can play in many keys. To be in a key - or to have a key - is what is reffered to in a song describing what series of notes are being played. It also sometimes describes the pitch of a song. The piano is a concert pitch instrument, if that's what you were asking.

Answer 6

it tells you what key you are in ( the key of g, b, a, etc)

and its also something u use to unlock something - LOL