All Keyboard/Piano Musicians..............

[Mecos]

Got YA!!!!!!!!!

Anyway.  What's up everybody.  I wouldn't say that I am a beginner probably mid range I wiould say but anyway, one of my main problems is playing in different keys.  Most of the time when I am playing I find myself transposing unless I listen to the song on the radio and get the music then.  I really need to work on not transposing.  Can anyone help me with a tip, practice, advice, or anything that I can work on to help me leave the tranposing.  I have talked to other musician and they told me that sometimes they have to transpose but I do all the time.  Like I said I can play it when I hear it on the radio but other than that, I have to transpose.

Now that you have read my post, please help me out with some tips or advice.

Thanks in advance

[T-Block]

Learn the progressions, or musical patterns, of the song first.  Then practice it in all keys rather than just the original key.  For example, if you play a C major chord in the key of C, then music theory tells me that you are playing a 1 chord.  In order to play that same chord in every key, all you have to do is the play the 1 chord in every key.  Here is the illustrated version:

C major scale = C  D  E  F  G  A  B

1 chord = major  (C-E-G)
2 chord = minor  (D-F-A)
3 chord = minor  (E-G-B)
4 chord = major  (F-A-C)
5 chord = major  (G-B-D)
6 chord = minor  (A-C-E)
7 chord = diminished  (B-D-F)

C major chord = C-E-G  *1 chord in the key of C

Now that we know most of the basic music theory for the key of C, now we are going to go to another key and do the same thing.  Let's go up 1/2 step to the key of C#:

C major scale = C#  D#  E#  F#  G#  A#  B#

1 chord = major  (C#-E#-G#)
2 chord = minor  (D#-F#-A#)
3 chord = minor  (E#-G#-B#)
4 chord = major  (F#-A#-C#)
5 chord = major  (G#-B#-D#)
6 chord = minor  (A#-C#-E#)
7 chord = diminished  (B#-D#-F#)

Now, we want to play a 1 chord in the key of C#, which is C#-E#-G#.  There you have it, you have successfully played the same chord from the key of C in the key of C#.  What about a key that's not 1/2 step away?  Let's try Ab:

Ab major scale = Ab  Bb  C  Db  Eb  F  G

1 chord = Ab-C-Eb
2 chord = Bb-Db-F
3 chord = C-Eb-G
4 chord = Db-F-Ab
5 chord = Eb-G-Bb
6 chord = F-Ab-C
7 chord = G-Bb-Db

Now, we want to play a 1 chord in the key of Ab, which is Ab-C-Eb.  There you have it, you have successfully played the same chord from the key of C in the key of Ab.  See how quickly you can play in other keys just by knowing your music theory?

Also, i have done many posts on progressions and music theory.  Here are some links to get you started:

Basic Progressions = http://musicianslearningcenter.com/home/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=24
More Advanced Progressions = http://musicianslearningcenter.com/home/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=21
Progression Practice Routine = http://musicianslearningcenter.com/home/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=19

[Mecos]

Thanks for the ADVICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!