Easy ways to Find the Key of Any Song on your Musical Instruments

These are the Techniques to Score, Fine or Get the Key of any Song on Piano, Guitar, Ukulele, Saxophone, and Keyboard.

We’ve all had issues with getting the key to a particular song. All beginners usually face this problem and it is quite sad to see people go through this same problem over and over again.

I remember my first day of playing at a church service. As a typical Nigerian instrumentalist, you have to play the hymn song, the worship, the praises, and then the choir ministration. So you are required to play in all of these episodes. So if you’re still having problems with getting the key of your songs, that means you are definitely going to be playing garbage throughout the service or program.

So we’ve come up with a set of rules which you can actually use to get the key to any song as soon as possible. Sometimes the singers might have issues hitting the right notes and this might affect how you try to get the key of the song. The singer sometimes determines how fast you can get the key of a particular song, but as a skilled and experienced instrumentalist, you can actually get it ASAP. So check out the easiest way you can get the key of the song.

Definition of A Key?

Before we get into the tips for finding a key, we’ll need to understand what a key is. A key is simply a tonal center, a note, or a focal point for a song. There are twenty-four keys, all made up of different notes, and starting and ending on different notes. In this lesson, we’ll mainly be focusing on one key.

NOTE: Make sure you understand your major and minor scale.

Tip #1: Listen To The Song

The first thing you’ll want to do is put your guitar down and just listen to the song without any distractions. Try to focus in on the tonal center of the song. Listen for where sections of the song seem to land, and focus in on that note.

Tip #2: singing or Humming

Next, you’ll want to try singing or humming that note that you’re focusing on. That note should sound good throughout the song. Don’t worry if you’re not a great singer, this is simply a way to connect the pathways in your mind so you can recognize these notes in music.

Tip #3: Guess or find that Note

Now, you’ll want to grab your Piano, Guitar, Flute, Ukulele, Harp, Sax, Trumpet, Keyboard, or any other instrument. Keep that note you were humming in your head, and try to find that note on your instrument. You may need to repeat all these steps a few times if you lose the note in your mind. But once you’ve got it, you can try matching the note you’re singing along to the music to the note you’re playing on your guitar.

All you have to do now is to try and find the note which you just hummed. Remember you need to know your scales, so all you have to do is try and run your scale. if it doesn’t sound right. Try and play the 1st, 4th, and 5th note of that scale. If you know your scale very well then you should know how the 4th and 5th note should sound.

Lastly, keep practicing and with the time you will be able to get the key of any song with 1-15 seconds. You can also check out our CHORD ARCHIVE for the progressions of your favorite song.