Musical Keys and Stuff

Phat_Sam

Phat_Sam

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Ok I have an orchestral sample taken from a big piece of music. I dont know the name of the piece, I dont know what key it is in and most importantly, this means i have no idea how to write a bassline/melody/whatever if I was going to us the sample as part of my tune.

How do I find what key its in to then make a bassline/melody/whatever. Or alternatively, is there a way that I can change the sample from whatever it is to a key of my choice?

Im working with FL Studio 7

Thanks people!
 
Try to play along with it from your keyboard, jot down all the notes that you match.
Failing that, try to play just the one note over the whole thing. The note that fits best is the root most of the time (depending on the complexity of the piece you're working with).

TBH, you don't really need to worry about what key its in if you can find a few notes that fit unless you're trying for a second orchestral masterpiece over the top of it :)

IMO, I wouldn't bother pitching it up or down.

HTH m8
 
The Hex said:
also, there are some plug ins out there that track the key of the note the sample/instrument is playing. theyre kinda finiky tho.
Click to expand...

True, and most DAWs have some sort of analysis feature where it'll tell you the frequency & corresponding note of the clip.
SX3 does anyway, not sure about FL tho.
You'd have to split the clip into its separate notes first mind.
 
you might find it easier just to hum one long note along with the orchestra, try to find that ground tone or bass note that feels the most solid. then use piano or something to figure out which note you are humming. thats the key. if you then look up the notes in that scale you'll probably find that most of them fit and would make a good bassline. see if the third is flat (minor scale). use ears more than theory..
 
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Yeah but then the guy that doesn't know jack plays some random stuff and lucks into a really cool sound.......so try all this stuff for sure, but just use your ears as well sometimes. Our listening ears are pretty used to common keys so stuff that strictly adheres can sound a bit boring. Often when you leave the key sig it sounds fresher.........dunno what I'm saying. It's good to know some music theory, but don't let it restrict what you do.

Oh thats what Innovine said. Use your ears. Sweet.
 
here is a major and minor key scale for you! Found it under the FL producer section - hope it helps - originally posted by Indi, thanks Indi!

Major Scale in Every Key
C = C - D - E - F - G - A - B - C
D = D - E - F# - G - A - B - C# - D
E = E - F# - G# - A - B - C# - D# - E
F = F - G - A - Bb - C - D - E - F
G = G - A - B - C - D - E - F# - G
A = A - B - C# - D - E - F# - G# - A
B = B - C# - D# - E - F# - G# - A# - B
C# = C# - D# - E# (=F) - F# - G# - A# - B# (=C) - C#
Db = Db - Eb - F - Gb - Ab - Bb - C - Db
Eb = Eb - F - G - Ab - Bb - C - D -Eb
F# = F#= F# - G# - A# - B - C# - D# - E# (=F) - F#
Gb = Gb - Ab - Bb - Cb (=B) - Db - Eb - F - Gb
Ab = Ab - Bb - C - Db - Eb - F - G - Ab
Bb = Bb - C - D - Eb - F - G - A - Bb

Minor Scale in Every Key
C = C - D - Eb - F - G - Ab - Bb - C
D = D - E - F - G - A - Bb - C - D
E = E - F# - G - A - B - C - D - E
F = F - G - Ab - Bb - C - Db - Eb - F
G = G - A - Bb - C - D - Eb - F - G
A = A - B - C - D - E - F - G - A
B = B - C# - D - E - F# - G - A - B
C# = C# - D# - E - F# - G# - A - B - C#
Eb = Eb - F - Gb - Ab - Bb - Cb - Db - Eb
F# = F# - G# - A - B - C# - D - E - F#
G# = G# - A# - B - C# - D# - E - F# - G#
Bb = Bb - C - Db - Eb - F - Gb - Ab - Bb
 
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Its cheating, but wat u need is a vst called melodyn stick anything thru it an it gives u an accurate reading on where it lies in the scale. its geniuse. it works a treat an is somewat takin alot of work out of a quite annoyin process!
 
i woudln't say it's cheating. as i always say, knowledge is power. if the resources are out there, why not use them?
 
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