Have you ever thought about the effect of key signatures on your composing? Does it matter what key signature you compose in, or can you just transpose after the fact and thats that?
Key Signatures as Souls
Paolo Pietropaolo seems to think that’s not the case. He has put together a very fascinating series on key signatures and their “personalities”. Needless to say, I listened to all of these this morning, in a row, and I was captivated. They rang so true, that I couldn’t help but be moved. The sadness of G minor; the leadership of Eb major; the optimism of Db major; they all have a story to tell. These are all posted just a little ways down.
Composing in All Twelve Keys
I began a long time ago (actually only a little over a year as of writing this post) composing what I called 30 minute compositions. These were very short pieces, with a specific time constraint. They had to be completed in 30 minutes or less.
The rules:
- 30 minutes from start to finish, minus a few formalities:
- I could pick the key signature, tempo and meter before hand.
- I could prep the manuscript paper before I started.
- The 30 minutes doesn’t include transcribing on the computer.
Inevitably, I would make a few “corrections” when transcribing on the computer, but overall, the piece was composed in 30 minutes, or I had to leave it.
Derailment
Inevitably, as always seems to happen one way or another, my plan to compose through all keys major and minor was derailed. I went on to “bigger and better” things. I think I will start picking up where I left off and finish the task.
One of the things that struck me, and still strikes me, is when you decide on a key signature and meter before hand, the mood seems to take care of itself. It’s as if the keys have temperaments built in.
A Little Inspiration
D Major: Miss Congeniality
Joyful by nature, she sees the world through rose colored glasses. Listen to the last piece, and tell me if you recognize it… it’s the end to my favorite symphony of all time.
G Minor: Unsteady and Tragic
Mozart thought that it was the only key that could express sadness, and is the only minor key that he based two of his symphonies on… and no other symphonies were written in a minor key.
B Minor: A Gloomy Fellow
Funny that I chose B minor for my first piano sonata…
A Major: Something Just Out of Reach
I love it.
C Minor: A Misunderstood Genius
Maybe I need to compose more in C minor…
E Major: A Morning Person
He makes you question your own cynicism because he finds joy in the simplest things… that little bird at the top of the tree.
A Minor: Conflicted
She’s torn between how she always imagined her life would be, and how it actually turned out…
G Major: The Nicest Guy You’ll Ever Meet
He believes in taking the time to do things right. What he lacks in intellect, he makes up for in his persistent optimism.
D Minor: Sexy
Try to resist her dark temptations… she can turn on you in a split second. Hell hath no fury like D minor’s scorn.
Db Major: A Dreamer
She sees beauty in all things, you want to protect her… but she is fine on her own.
F# Minor: Freshly Fallen Snow
A hardened heart, she is petrified of people. Sometimes it just feels good to be sad.
Eb Major: A Hero
Eb major is good at everything. He climbs cliffs barehanded.
Keeping Track of This Series
If you want to keep up to date with this series, go to http://www.cbcmusic.ca/signatureseries.
Tell Me What You Think
How does key signature effect your composing?
This was interesting and pretty nice to go through, nonetheless. But I don’t believe keys have a distinct “personality” or “feel”. Because all these pieces can be be transposed and played in other keys as well. I sang Hotel California at a local concert in C minor and people felt the same way as would have when they heard the original. No change of feelings or emotions.
The idea of keys possessing feelings or personality, although intriguing, is equivalent to astrology (E major – morning person, D Minor – sexy, G major – nice guy….).. Let’s call it “musical astrology”. 😉
More fun than useful. I found them inspiring to listen to none the less.
‘Tis weird. Technically and mathematically speaking C# and Db are not enharmonically equivalent, though they are very close. The problem comes with the 88 key piano – it is not practical have a key for C# and one for Db. That is why we have to “temper” (BACH WELL TEMPERED CLAVIER) with the almost enharmonically equivalent pitches finding a good compromise – TO DEVIDE THE OCTAVE INTO EXACTLY 12 EQUIDISTANT SEMITONES (equal temperament). THUS, anything sounds the same in different key signatures except for the pitch it starts on…
But I do not deny that different keys have different personalities – though they are technically the same transposed from another key.
I don’t believe he is stating the key personalities are absolute. It is more of an artistic opinion and fun to imagine.
Thank you so much for writing this absolutely excellent article!!!
Thanks.
Heyyy glad I stumbled onto your page — never know what’s going to get the creativity flowing and well, your page did just that. I had a heroic score piece to write — thanks for the bit of inspiration!
I always love listening to this series.
This is great! I laughed, I cried, I actually got to know each key. The narration is thoughtful and funny. The music choices are perfect. I’m a veteran pro musician, but a young composer – thanks for this!
Don
Like I already wirte befor, You need to do this also for the differend modi Darian, Lydian…..
I was just posting these. I didn’t actually make them. I found them interesting and entertaining and I assumed others would also.
Hi jon,
Was looking for a good key of a new composition I’m making. This will be a song for my wife who was passed away last January. I know from my classical education there was a relation in the keys to express emotions but did not find a good solution. This helps me a lot to decide witch key I need to express myself. Nicely done.
Marc from Belgium
Your minor keys when played in the beginning are all actually harmonic minor keys. There’s a pretty big difference between minor and harmonic minor, and what I listened to of the tracks was not in a harmonic variation but in standard minor keys. If you were to give examples of songs in harmonic minor keys they would sound very different than the moods you have assigned.
Harmonic minor is actually the most common minor key for composition from the Baroque through the late Romantic, and even still in the 20th century. Natural minor lacks the raised leading tone, and so, does not offer a very satisfactory cadence.
I haven’t vetted all the pieces from the series to see which are harmonic, and which are natural, but I would take a guess and say that most are a mixture of both, depending on the musical situation.
Hello Jon. My son sent on the link. For its content rather than your surname. But he mentioned that too. I am no musician but love music and your idea certainly helps rationalise the feelings engendered by the key signatures.
On your surname are you based or from the Great Lakes are of USA and are related to a Nancy B?
ByvLl.means email me direct.
LB. Wiltshire UK.
Leslie,
It’s good to see another Brantingham on here. I actually live in Southern California, although, I did spend some time living in Guildford, UK, and even went to visit Brantingham village out there. Nancy sounds familiar, but I can’t say I know her. I may have met her at a reunion. I think the key signature thing though is not necessarily written in stone, but it’s always nice to think of things from a different angle.
I just finished testing your “Key Personalities” against my library. It works well! However, there were several keys for which you didn’t propose a personality. I took a crack at it and would send you my spreadsheet if you are interested. Anyway, here are my proposals, interleaved with yours.
Rich
A Major Something Just Out of Reach
A Minor Conflicted
Bb Major Spring
B Major The Dance
B Minor A Gloomy Fellow
C Major The Bear
C Minor A Misunderstood Genius
C# Minor Hungarian Rhapsody
D Major Miss Congeniality
D Minor Sexy
Db Major A Dreamer
Eb Major A Hero
Eb Minor Gaelic or Romantic
E Major A Morning Person
E Minor The Inexorable Dance
F Major Pastoral, Egyptian or Autumn
F# Minor Freshly Fallen Snow
G Major The Nicest Guy You’ll Ever Meet
G Minor Unsteady and Tragic
Rich, that’s pretty awesome. Are these based on piece’s you’ve written or pieces by others? If it’s you, definitely share them on soundcloud and post the link here.
Hello, I like this site and your insight. I agree completely on many things your spoke on, and I noticed that A flat major is missing (as well as C# major).
I have heard a jazzy piece used in that key on the Today show in the late 80s before.
Among others on my film soundtrack, I composed a piece in A flat major fairly recently.
To me A flat major stands for a new beginnings or a fresh start; that, no matter what failed before- success, love, a key to personal fulfillment- is waiting behind the door of Your today.
http://j3px.bandcamp.com/track/bonus-1-a-new-day
It’s just fantastic to see all these comments here – I’m so glad people have been enjoying the Signature Series. Thanks for sharing it, Jon.
Paolo,
Thank you for creating the Signature Series. I find listening to the episodes to be very soothing, and somewhat inspiring. They usually get me off my butt and writing music in whatever key I listen to. So thank you!
I LOVE this site. I am a classical addict and have been wondering for years about the significance of the several keys. My passion is for minor keys written in the Romantic period. I was looking through your list, but apparently some keys are missing, namely B, C & F Major and C#, E Minor. Do you have analyses for these? If yes, I would love to see you post them with the others. The combination of your prose and short selection is OUTstanding.
THANKS
Rich
PS C# Minor very rare, but thinking about Rachmaninoff’s famous Prelude
Ive already heard this theory but it sounds like “crap”. This would mean that if you use a plugin to pitchshift your mp3’s by semitones, you could make any song sound “sexy” or “conflicted”… maybe “a hero” or “miss congeniality”.
I am sure there is no “scientific” basis, but more mindset. You could probably find a different kind of personality for every key signature, but it can add a little bit of magic to your compositional process. Regardless, I think the series is entertaining none the less.
Agreed!
I don’t think he’s trying to say that songs in these signatures have exactly that mood per se, but that the composer himself will tend to float his music towards that mood when composing in that signature.
I don’t think so either, but you have to admit, the shows are pretty inspiring.
Very interesting! This definitely changes the way I’ll write.
It is definitely a great perspective on music. Really brings it to life. Thanks for the comment.