Finding the song musical key !

Sam82 · Post by **Sam82** » Thu Nov 06, 2008 1:03 pm

I saw at the artists reviews on abelton live that they can find there songs musical key using live!

Could anyone tell me how to do that ?

Patch · Post by **Patch** » Thu Nov 06, 2008 1:40 pm

If you need to ask, you can't do it.

I need to ask.

try Rapid Evolution, or Mixed In Key.

sweetjesus · Post by **sweetjesus** » Thu Nov 06, 2008 1:48 pm

i predict u have a 1 in 12 chance of finding it

ollyb303 · Post by **ollyb303** » Thu Nov 06, 2008 1:58 pm

I say 1 in 24...

arkoenig · Post by **arkoenig** » Thu Nov 06, 2008 2:49 pm

The last note of a song is often the key note. Not always, but often--much more often than the first note.

Moody · Post by **Moody** » Thu Nov 06, 2008 4:30 pm

I would probably use Spectrum and identify the strongest frequncies, IE notes.

Atomikat · Post by **Atomikat** » Thu Nov 06, 2008 4:34 pm

Use your ears...

Aequitas123 · Post by **Aequitas123** » Thu Nov 06, 2008 4:40 pm

learn musical theory.

jeffplaysmoog · Post by **jeffplaysmoog** » Thu Nov 06, 2008 4:41 pm

Hmm ,well... this can be simple, as there are some songs that are only 1 chord (therefore 1 key), alas there are also some songs that have no key at all. I would say the proper way to go about this would be to learn a bit of theory and some keyboard skills. Plunking out melodies/chords on the piano is a sure fire way to deduce the key/keys. Otherwise you will always be guessing, using technology, or someone else's works (tabs, etc.) that could be completely wrong.

Tone Deft · Post by **Tone Deft** » Thu Nov 06, 2008 4:44 pm

get the song playing, relax and start hitting notes on a keyboard until you find one that fits best with the song. basically just use your ears.

benmiron · Post by **benmiron** » Thu Nov 06, 2008 4:48 pm

I think he was getting at an automatic way or a way that live helps...

Not just playing the keyboard which eveyrone knows you self horn tooting bastards.

beatpoet · Post by **beatpoet** » Thu Nov 06, 2008 4:51 pm

Depends on the track, keep in mind that a song may not be in one key throughout.

If the track is pretty straight forward harmonically, you're able find the root and can tell the difference between a major and minor chord then you'll have a good chance. If you haven't a clue then your prob buggered from the start.

Is Melodyne DNA out yet ? it's been ages since we say that promo ...

Tone Deft · Post by **Tone Deft** » Thu Nov 06, 2008 4:53 pm

god forbid he should use any *gasp* musical talent. I know it sounds crazy in the day and age of computers to have any talent, just thought I'd be a pompous ass and throw it out there.

make sure you buy loop libraries that have the keys listed on the CD sleeve, correction: make sure you download sample libraries from torrent sites that have the content listed on the manufacturer's web site.

beatpoet · Post by **beatpoet** » Thu Nov 06, 2008 5:01 pm

Tone Deft wrote:get the song playing, relax and start hitting notes on a keyboard until you find one that fits best with the song. basically just use your ears.

On that note,

there should be a 'set scale from MIDI' feature on the Scale plugin, which reads all the notes played in a bit of MIDI and sets them up in the plugin. Would save a lot of work after the plink-plonk. You could 'rob' scales from existing MIDI files too.

Tone Deft · Post by **Tone Deft** » Thu Nov 06, 2008 5:14 pm

whoa, now there's an idea.

hit 'learn' on it then pass a midi clip through it or plonk on some keys, turn off midi learn and all other notes will be blocked out (or moved to the key.)