If we look at some music that uses this scale, then the music is in the key of A minor: Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 4 – 1st movement theme in A majorĪnd here is the scale of A minor (meaning that it’s the minor scale pattern beginning on the note A): The scale of A minor Now if we had some music that uses this scale, we say that this music is in the key of A major: Mendelssohn: Symphony No. Each one of them is a key.įor example, here is the scale of A major (meaning that it’s the major scale pattern starting on the note A). Why 12? Because every note of the musical alphabet (all 12 of them!) gets its turn being the first note of a major scale and the first note of a minor scale. As you’ll see in the chart below, we have 12 major keys and 12 minor keys. We use the term ‘key’ simply to refer to the major or minor scale we are in. We’ll begin with recognizing a major or minor key in sheet music. How to Tell if it is Major or Minor in Sheet Music How to Tell if it is Major or Minor by Ear.The Key Signature: Is it Major or Minor?.How to Tell if it is Major or Minor in Sheet Music.Understanding where they come from makes this whole process much easier! How to tell if the music is major or minor I suggest you read it once even if you’re familiar with key signatures and scales. In this article we’re going to examine where keys come from as well. We’ll discuss first how to recognize major and minor by reading the notation and then recognizing major and minor by ear. That sounds simple enough but it does take some practice so let’s look at the details. When reading the sheet music, the answer is in the key signature and in how notes and chords are used. When doing it by ear, listen to the major vs.

How do you tell if a song or a piece is major or minor? There are two ways to tell whether a song is major or minor: by ear and by sight. I get this question quite often so let’s dive right in. It’s one of the first steps that allow you to really dig into the music and understand how it’s made. Recognizing between major and minor is an important basic skill for any musician.

B flat major scale above the staff