Re: [Harp-L] What's a "key"?

[michael rubin <michaelrubinharmonica@xxxxxxxxx>]

To my beginning students I define a key as a family of notes that
sound good together.  Then I say each key has a note that is the head
of the family, the root note.  I suppose my definition really more
defines a scale, but I feel like it is a good visualization to get
people starting to understand this nebulous concept.  I'm sticking
with it.
Michael Rubin
Michaelrubinharmonica.com

On Fri, May 6, 2011 at 8:08 AM, The Iceman <icemanle@xxxxxxx> wrote:
> To me, "key" would be the reference point that opens the door into understanding where the song lays in a harmonic sense. Knowing the key allows me to choose which harmonica to use and what position to play in. Knowing the key allows me to play songs in which I know the harmonic progression so that what I choose will be in sync with the rest of the musicians, and hopefully the rest of the musicians would feel the same.
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> When one moves beyond playing solo, common ground needs to be established amongst the participants. Key is one "key" (ha) component. Tempo is another.
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> -----Original Message-----
> From: sheltraw <sheltraw@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
> To: Harp L <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Thu, May 5, 2011 6:04 pm
> Subject: [Harp-L] What's a "key"?
>
>
> On another thread the question of how to determine the key of a tune was
> raised. So I would like to ask two questions of importance to that thread.
>
> (1) What do you think the term "key" means?
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> and
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> (2) Given that you have identified the "key" then what are you going to do
> with that information?
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> Cheers!
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