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Posted by displaced on Sep-25-2009 05:37:

Tracks with wonky key signatures

I usually figure key signatures out by ear even though it takes FOREVER, cuz programs like Rapid Evolution are off a third of the time when i compare results against my ear and I end up listening through it anyways. And it doesn't detect key changes very well either.

anywho, I was categorizing AvB - Tuvan, and the original and Gareth Emery versions were fairly straight forward (harmonic Cm), but the Andy Blueman remix has me stumped. The melody line uses (assuming its in Cm like the others) major 3rds, (E, not Eb) and maintains the harmonic minor characteristics on the 6th and 7th. Moving it down a fifth to Fm creates its own problems, and its definitely not Gm, so I'm thinking of calling it C major and pigeonholing it.

I've been sitting on this track for like 30 minutes thinking wtf, is there some rule I've forgotten... Have you ever come across tracks that you just couldn't categorize into a key? Oh and if you know what key the Andy Blueman remix is in, please do share.

Posted by DJ_Rafnel on Sep-26-2009 02:16:

I CAN tell you that the bassline is Cm for the Andy Blueman remix.

What i cant tell you is the melody or whatever, and anything to technical. Honestly, the main thing you should worry about is the bassline when it comes to keying out songs. If the bassline works, then the rest of the song will 99 percent of the time.

Posted by Nemesis44 on Sep-28-2009 16:27:

I have got that down as a Cm too.
The scale it uses seems to be built around a middle eastern influence so might be messing with what you already know.

Cheers
Nem

Posted by displaced on Oct-01-2009 03:35:

thanks. sometimes high school music theory gets you only so far, or at least from what i can recall...

btw, are you guys tuning by ear or using mixedinkey, re, or a combination?

Posted by DJ_Rafnel on Oct-01-2009 04:36:

I key it out by ear unless its listed on the cd or the release somewhere. As for the BPM, i usually stick to the display on the CDJ1000.

When it comes to keying it out quickly, i use a flash piano online haha.

If i have Ableton Live open ill use that. Flash Piano is way to much fun though.

Posted by displaced on Oct-01-2009 05:00:

ic. musical typing makes me want to paint my top keys black, so that i actually hit keys that correspond to a piano key. but i suppose it gets the job done.

speaking of flash and music,

http://www.dothedaft.com/idaft/

i get a kick playing around w/ it.

Posted by DJ_Rafnel on Oct-01-2009 05:18:

HAhah that thing is awesome. Someone needs to make more of those.

Posted by RichieV on Oct-01-2009 14:02:

it is both in c minor and c major.

Posted by Nightshift on Oct-01-2009 15:09:

Yeah this track is switching between C minor and major at certain points.

But the bassline is Cminor.

Posted by Nemesis44 on Oct-01-2009 20:25:

A bit of pitch axis theory going on in there, but yeah bassline is in Cm, and unless you intend on mixing something over the main hook/breakdown you would probably be fine with sticking it down as Cm.

As for matching keys, I usually sit down with my guitar and just playing scales.
Some keys I can recognise by ear without having to play any instrument along with them, but not all.

I never use software to identify keys.

Cheers
Nem