Book · Music
Beginner to Composer in 14 Days · Digital edition
Ground Control To Major Tom
Day 3
Playing in a major key
Key
If you’ve ever watched live jazz music, then you’ve probably seen musicians conferring what key they’re going to play in before they start a new piece. ‘This one’s in the key of Bb’ you’ll hear, or ‘this one’s in Eb’. Think of keys as the ‘home’ of the piece. Each home features a particular group of notes that gives it its distinctive feel. A piece may wander off to incorporate other notes for a bit of variation, but the majority of the time is spent in the home key. Playing with the original group of notes that is. There are major keys and minor keys e.g. the key of C major, the key of C minor. Compositions in major keys sound happy and bright. Compositions in a minor key sound sombre.
Major keys
To work out the notes of a major key there is a simple formula: RTTSTTTS.
As you know, R stands for root note. S stands for semitone, the smallest distance between two notes (you learned about semitones on Day One). T is new. It stands for tone, a fractionally larger distance between two notes. The higher note is just two semitones away from the lower note. Alternatively, think of it as skipping a semitone.
Example: C major
Here I have used the major key formula to find the notes of the C major key. A piece in the key of C major would be made of these notes most of the time.
Cover the major key formula and memorise it. Make sure you can say it aloud several times without looking before you continue.
Major scales
When the notes of a major key are played in order we call it a major scale and the easiest way to play them is with finger patterns. When you see musicians playing at lightning speed, eyes closed, they’re relying on their muscle memory of patterns practised and perfected over years. You can learn them too. First assign numbers to your fingers and thumbs. Thumbs are always one. Index fingers two. Middle fingers three and so on. Notice how the hands and numbers are mirror images of each other.
LH
RH
Here’s the right hand (RH) finger pattern for C major (one octave):
| R | T | T | S | T | T | T | S | Summary of black notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | D | E | F | G | A | B | C | - |
| G | A | B | C | D | E | F# | G | F# |
| D | E | F# | G | A | B | C# | D | F# C# |
| A | B | C# | D | E | F# | G# | A | F# C# G# |
| E | F# | G# | A | B | C# | D# | E | F# C# G# D# |
| B | C# | D# | E | F# | G# | A# | B | F# C# G# D# A# |
| F | G | A | Bb | C | D | E | F | Bb |
| Bb | C | D | Eb | F | G | A | Bb | Bb Eb |
| Eb | F | G | Ab | Bb | C | D | Eb | Bb Eb Ab |
| Ab | Bb | C | Db | Eb | F | G | Ab | Bb Eb Ab Db |
| Db | Eb | F | Gb | Ab | Bb | C | Db | Bb Eb Ab Db Gb |
| Gb | Ab | Bb | Cb | Db | Eb | F | Gb | Bb Eb Ab Db Gb Cb |
Turn to your worksheet. The root note you chose on Day One will form your major key. Write the notes of your key here under the major scale formula RTTSTTTS.
| R | T | T | S | T | T | T | S |
| C | |||||||
| I | iim | iiim | IV | V | vim | viio | I |
Now add the RH finger pattern for the corresponding major scale.
Play this major scale ascending and descending on a loop, paying close attention to the finger pattern, as it’s this pattern which will enable you to make the scale (and in time the beautiful melody you’re going to write) sound smooth. Aim for even delivery rather than quickly rushing through.
- Once you’ve got the hang of it try playing your scale as quarter notes, along to the second hand of the clock (60bpm).
- Then try quarter notes at 120bpm. (That’s two notes to every second of the clock).
- Finally, can you repeat with quarter notes at 240bpm? (That’s four notes to every second of the clock).
Now without any specific tempo or rhythm, improvise with the notes of your major key all over the piano for one minute. When you’re confident playing in the lower, middle and higher registers, bring in your rhythmic phrase from Day Two (the four bar phrase on your worksheet), setting the pulse at 60bpm. Using the notes of your major key still, loop your rhythmic phrase, experimenting with different combinations of notes each time. Here’s a little inspiration for you...
- Start with single notes in your left and right hand, before playing two or more notes together.
- Try starting in a high register and slowly descend as you improvise, before ascending again to end the minute.
- Try putting your hands at either end of the piano and work towards the middle, then back out again.
- Try playing root notes in a low register with your left hand (LH) while your RH moves around freely. Can you manage two root notes an octave apart with your LH?
What part of your improvisation did you enjoy playing the most? Choose that excerpt and focus on playing smoothly and beautifully. Repeat your excerpt until it becomes effortless.