key explained
theoryKEE
A detailed guide to the tonal centre around which a piece of music is organised.
A key is the tonal framework of a piece of music, defined by a central note (the tonic) and the scale built upon it. When we say a piece is in the key of C major, we mean that C is the home note and the melody and harmony draw primarily from the C major scale. The key signature — the sharps or flats written at the beginning of each staff line — tells performers which notes are consistently raised or lowered throughout the piece. There are twelve major keys and twelve minor keys, related to each other through the circle of fifths. Modulation — changing from one key to another within a piece — is a fundamental technique for creating contrast and emotional movement. Key choice affects the character of a piece: different keys have different colours on instruments due to resonance patterns, and historically each key was associated with specific moods.