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In music theory, the key of a piece is the group of pitches, or scale, that forms the basis of a musical composition in Western classical music, art music, and pop music. Tonality (from "Tonic") or key: Music which uses the notes of a particular scale is said to be "in the key of" that scale or in the tonality of that scale. [1]
The hallmark that distinguishes major keys from minor is whether the third scale degree is major or minor. Major and minor keys are based on the corresponding scales, and the tonic triad of those keys consist of the corresponding chords; however, a major key can encompass minor chords based on other roots, and vice versa.
In Western tonal music, the simplest and most common type of modulation (or changing keys) is to shift from one major key to another key built on the first key's fifth (or dominant) scale degree. In the key of C major, this would involve moving to the key of G major (which uses an F ♯). Composers also often modulate to other related keys.
Use of key signature usual or unusual 15 equal temperament: 15-tet scale on C. ... Miyako-bushi scale on D, equivalent to in scale on D, with brackets on fourths.
Klezmer music uses scales other than diatonic major or minor, such as Phrygian dominant scale. Because of the limitations of the Great Highland Bagpipe scale, key signatures are often omitted from written pipe music, which otherwise would be written with two sharps, F ♯ and C ♯. [12]
In modern notation, the key signature for music in a minor key is typically based on the accidentals of the natural minor scale, not on those of the harmonic or melodic minor scales. For example, a piece in E minor will have one sharp in its key signature because the E natural minor scale has one sharp (F ♯ ).
Moreover, the key signature of the piece of music (or section) will generally reflect the accidentals in the corresponding major scale. For instance, if a piece of music is in E ♭ major, then the seven pitches in the E ♭ major scale (E ♭, F, G, A ♭, B ♭, C and D) are considered diatonic pitches, and the other five pitches (E ♮, F ...
The Aeolian mode is identical with the natural minor scale. Thus, it is ubiquitous in minor-key music. The following is a list of some examples that are distinguishable from ordinary minor tonality, which also uses the melodic minor scale and the harmonic minor scale as required. Traditional – "God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen"