{"id":185,"date":"2019-07-05T06:45:00","date_gmt":"2019-07-05T13:45:00","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2023-01-16T12:00:34","modified_gmt":"2023-01-16T20:00:34","slug":"change-keys-easy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/change-keys-easy\/","title":{"rendered":"Play A Song In Any Key on The Piano"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

<< Download the lead sheet to practice changing keys >><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wouldn\u2019t it be easy if EVERY song was in the key of C major?<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We wouldn\u2019t have to worry about those pesky sharps and flats. Life would be simple!<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

But life isn\u2019t simple, and there are 12 key signatures we could play in (and that\u2019s just the major keys!)<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why We Need To Change Key<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

One of the biggest reasons why we might need to change keys (or transposing, as it\u2019s called) is because of the singer.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not everybody has the same vocal range, and some people just cannot sing in certain keys. I used to play in a band, and whenever the singer wanted the song changed, it would take me forever to sit down and figure out how to transpose every chord into the new key.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It doesn\u2019t have to be that hard! In fact, there\u2019s a really easy way to do it — and it\u2019s super fast.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A lot of people comment on our videos asking why I refer to some chords as the 1, 4, 5, etc.  Well, you\u2019re about to see why!<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thinking In Numbers<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

By assigning numbers to each chord<\/a> in relation to the root note, it becomes super simple to move between keys. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s an example. I have a song in the key of F# Major (yuck!). The chords are F#-D#m-C#-B. Now, I need to transpose that into the key of C (because C is awesome). By assigning numbers to the chords I can make the process incredibly simple and fast.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s how. F# is the root so it is the 1 chord. D#m is six notes up from F#, so it is the 6 chord. C# is the 5th, so it\u2019s the 5 chord, and B is the 4 chord.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

So instead of thinking of the original progression as F#-D#m-C#-B I can think of it as 1-6-5-4.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The key of C is 6 half-steps below the key of F#. But that doesn\u2019t matter, because I don\u2019t have to count intervals now. All I need to do is play that 1-6-5-4 progression in the key of C. So it becomes C-Am-G-F. Easy!<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I could choose another key. How about F Major – it\u2019s now F-Dm-C-Bb. Super simple!<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I would really encourage you to try this out for yourself. It\u2019s a great way to move out of your comfort zone and learn some new keys.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Have fun!<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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