If you know how to determine the tonality of a piece of music, then picking up an alternative accompaniment or moving the song half a ton higher will be quite easy for you. There are several ways to determine the tonality, allowing you to fairly accurately determine the pitch of the frets, including without a musical string in front of your eyes.
What is tonality?
Knowing how to determine tonality will not be useful if the musician does not understand what it is. Pay attention to the following concepts:
- Okay. A sound series arranged according to a certain algorithm (for example, C-d-e-fa-sol-a-la-si, as in C major (C-dur). The pitch intervals between notes and the principles of transitions determine the nature of the fret. Major frets are used in bright , solemn compositions, minor - to convey melancholy, sadness, lyrical mood.
- Tonic. A “reference” note that determines the height of all the key notes in harmony.
The fret, together with the tonic, is called tonality: these are sounds arranged in a specific order, at a height set by the main stable note.
Dynamic tonality of works
Starting to experiment with the establishment of tonality, even novice musicians notice that in the same song it often changes. The beginning and ending sound the same; in the center of the composition, the sound can go up or down to create sound diversity and enhance the emotional accents of the work.
Here's how to determine the tonality in popular songs: analyze the verse and the chorus separately, in case of coincidence - pay attention to the final section of the melody. For singers and vocalists, tenors often add a repeat of the chorus one tone higher at the end: thus, 2-3 keys can be combined in one song, usually with a single sound color (major or minor).
In classical compositions, the number of tone transitions is unlimited; In addition, major or minor sounds can be substituted for each other. There is no question of how to determine the tonality of the entire work: select fragments that have a finished sound, and analyze them separately from each other.
Finding the key on the musical notation
Even if you are just starting to work with sheet music, try to figure out how to determine the tonality by notes:
- Check for signs of alteration with the key. They indicate tonality in major and its “parallel” version in minor. Keep in mind that the signs of alteration can change: this is indicated in the notes, at the places of transition to a different tonality.
- Find a tonic. Typically, this is a note that completes a song or piece of music. In the accompanying parts, the tonic is easy to find, paying attention to the repeating triads: they not only contain a reference note, but also reproduce the structure of the fret.
- Determine the tonality by the tonic: in the "superfluous" version there will be no such note as a reference point.
The accompaniment notes will be of great help, as the accompaniment parts always have a harmonious ending. Even if the passage or song ends with more than one note, the final chord will contain the tonic as a support.
If there are no notes at hand
It is important for vocalists and improvisational musicians to know how to determine the key of a song without notes. Rely on your ear for music and follow the instructions:
- Major or minor? You already know that the sign of tonality determines the mood of the song. The general character of the composition will be indicated by the mood of the fret: for example, minor, as in classic love ballads.
- Find a tonic. To identify a reference note, listen carefully or sing a song. This is the sound that you want to complete the musical phrase. Found it? Now play your piano keys or guitar strings until you find the same sound. The selected note will be the tonic.
Now just combine the information. If the work has a pronounced major character and it “rests” on the note “d”, then this is the key “d major”.