I'm now fluent in every key

[Jimmy Smith]

As a keys player. Been on my every key program for almost 3 years coming up this fall. I also noticed an improvement in my general proficiency apart from individual keys improving.

All I do is play in 1 major key and its parallel minor for a few days and then go up a half step. I play all my material in that key. If the tune is too hard, I'll deviate and work the tune in its original key. I started with just blues and super easy tunes but eventually got better and better to where it wasn't too hard to work most stuff in any key. I tried to transpose Donna but that was too hard and I just did it in Ab. A side benefit is the different keys sound differently and it freshens things up to play tunes in different keys.

I highly recommend the program! It's easier to transpose on guitar too so no reason not to!

In addition to working every key, there is also working every tempo, which I'm a big fan of.

[pauln]

Are you transposing using books (notation or lead sheets) or by ear? I mean, where in the spectrum from sight reading to full internalization do you elect to take a tune through every key?

[AllanAllen]

I think I’m going to slow down the new songs for my band and start to transpose and get off the page for everything. We are at 46 songs. Once we hit 50, by end of this month, I’m going to really focus on getting off iReal and only add things when I don’t need to look at the sheet.

Which is to say. I’m going to do your process to internalize them differently.

To reply to Paul, I will use a page for the first key, then mentally transpose for the others. Ideally I want to learn changes by ear and have no page until I make my own sheet for the band. Can’t expect them to know my obscure calls.

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

A side benefit is the different keys sound differently and it freshens things up to play tunes in different keys.

Songs definitely sound different in different keys. If they didn’t, they’d all have been written in concert C.

[Jimmy Smith]

^ Yep. But why are all jazz songs only in half the keys? :P

Are you transposing using books (notation or lead sheets) or by ear? I mean, where in the spectrum from sight reading to full internalization do you elect to take a tune through every key?

I learn the song and internalize it, then I mentally transpose it and take it thru the keys. I'd spend some time re-internalizing it when I learn it in the new key but now I get it immediately for ez tunes. Usually I learn the song off the page but I do learn some songs only by ear such as Sappy by Nirvana. :P

I think I’m going to slow down the new songs for my band and start to transpose and get off the page for everything. We are at 46 songs. Once we hit 50, by end of this month, I’m going to really focus on getting off iReal and only add things when I don’t need to look at the sheet.

Which is to say. I’m going to do your process to internalize them differently.

To reply to Paul, I will use a page for the first key, then mentally transpose for the others. Ideally I want to learn changes by ear and have no page until I make my own sheet for the band. Can’t expect them to know my obscure calls.

That sounds like a good plan.

[AllanAllen]

^ Yep. But why are all jazz songs only in half the keys? :P

Those are the ones that are easy for horns. It's really that simple, there's nothing magic about Bb vs E. It's just that horns, the lead instrument in this genre, have an easier time on the flats.

[pamosmusic]

Those are the ones that are easy for horns. It's really that simple, there's nothing magic about Bb vs E. It's just that horns, the lead instrument in this genre, have an easier time on the flats.

Yerp.

Orchestral music is all in F through E because those are the keys that are better for strings.

[DawgBone]

Songs definitely sound different in different keys. If they didn’t, they’d all have been written in concert C.

It's my belief that every song has a key and a tempo that is correct for a given song. Obviously there is leeway for a vocalist via transposition when necessary but I still think certain keys are ideal for a given tune. I generally use a metronome to find the best bpm's for a given tune if I am planning on recording it. Every song has a voice.

[Jimmy Smith]

Goodbye in F# minor mofos!

[2bornot2bop]

Congratulations! Bill Evans first tenet, practice in all 12 keys.

[Jimmy Smith]

Thx! Yes, I think it's pretty helpful and actually somewhat important.

[DawgBone]

Goodbye in F# minor mofos!

Sounding really good. I like F# position on the guitar, very convenient IMO. Listening to your recording though, it sounded like your Leslie's motor is broken, lol

[Jimmy Smith]

Thanks. The Leslie is broken because I broke it when I rage quit the organ haha.

Yeah F# minor is convenient on guitar. But jazz keys players neglect the guitar keys. I like playing in them because they sound interesting.

[Mick-7]

Usually I learn the song off the page but I do learn some songs only by ear such as Sappy by Nirvana. :P

Woah, all 3 chords? That's remarkable!

[wolflen]

Congratulations! Bill Evans first tenet, practice in all 12 keys.

The 12 key importance becomes apparent at some point in harmonic and melodic studies as
well in improvisation.

Some players find a key too difficult or deem it not necessary for whatever reasons..but at some point discover
they need to find a workaround to bypass the inherent harmonic content in that key.

My teacher stressed that while some keys may have difficult fingering patterns for some chords..learning the diatonic forms
and their inversions in all positions will show relative harmonic relationships with other keys that are much easier to play.

and in doing so finding the melodic top note in chord melody structures reinforces voicings in the middle and bass movement

[Jimmy Smith]

Woah, all 3 chords? That's remarkable!

You're tellin me. I can handle outer voices no prob if I know the inner harmonic content is only power chords. :P I can handle bluezes. I can handle stuff that I can kind of get in the zone with somehow. If I try to throw myself into some dense chords and tell myself just do it, it doesn't make a difference how much effort I put into it, it ain't happening. I can't fucking tell what chord it is, all I hear is a smear of notes. I can't identify individual notes and I can't recognize the overall character. 'You're in a laundry room!'

[AllanAllen]

Here's my method.

Start by figuring out the key of the song, so you have 7 notes to pick from instead of 12.

Now, if the time for practice and the time I had access to my stereo overlapped I would find what the bass is playing on bar 1 beat 1. But, the only time I can focus is after the kids are asleep so I learn tunes off my iphone speaker. So.... I look for the pointy notes, the one that sticks out the most in the voicing. This is usually something on the B string for me, I dunno why, maybe that's the good frequency band for the 1/8" speaker in my phone.

So, now I'll have one note. From this I just go down a major third and see what it sounds like. It either sounds okay, right or bad. Adjust from here. Once I have two notes I can usually tell what the chord is. Also, by now I'm sick of it and move on to something else.

If I had a computer with monitors I would figure out soundslice and loop things. That would be easier than scrolling back on my iphone. At least youtube you can double tap and go back 10 seconds. Which is too many, 5 would be ideal for transcribing.

Anyway, it's a long process, but if you can hear a blues, you can hear a I vi ii V. Just keep at it, the only way to get better is to not quit.

[Jimmy Smith]

Just keep at it, the only way to get better is to not quit.

[Jimmy Smith]

pauln program?

[AllanAllen]

pauln program?

Isn't his thing to close his eyes, imagine the song, then draw the rest of the damn owl.

[AllanAllen]

[Jimmy Smith]

Haha, just using metaphysical aural intuition? I have some of that ability. It's just a pain the ear work taking forever and then not being able to be totally accurate at my level. But I think I may as well get after it with the trying to comprehend everything aurally. The forum doesn't let you slack.

[pauln]

Haha, just using metaphysical aural intuition? I have some of that ability. It's just a pain the ear work taking forever and then not being able to be totally accurate at my level. But I think I may as well get after it with the trying to comprehend everything aurally.

Playing by ear is not just an alternative, some things about a tune you only discover by trying to figure out how they go by ear from memory. Here is a good example you can use to see what I mean. In this tune the movement through the progression changes is very coherent and slow... nothing weird. The head melody line is also simple and straight forward. The tune's secrets appear when you listen to the tune away from your instrument and then after give it a try putting the chords and melody together from memory - I won't spoil them in case others want to discover them...

The first chord is recognizable to guitarists because it uses the open high E (it's a Dbm11 that can be played as 9 x 9 8 7 0) Db B Eb Fb Gb, so that is enough to get started on guitar or piano. The secret has nothing to do with Db minor being a synthetic key with obnoxious enharmonics...

- listen without your instrument
- transcribe (on instrument) by ear from memory
- repeat full cycles of listening and transcribing from memory
- if you find that the melody is not working with the chords,
that means you're close to discovering the tune's secret and
another step forward in playing by ear.

[A. Kingstone]

I'm effluent in all keys.