switching keys...

[DreamingTree34]

ok how does it work..liek if you play a progression like C-G-C-D...and you changed keys...what would the chords be then?im trying to learn this type of shit cuz i can play guitar quite well but i dont knwo jack as far as technical stuff

[@WarWithTheMoon]

Well you could change the key to any key you want, what key do you want to put it to?

[DreamingTree34]

see i dont even know what key that progreesion would be in (CGCD)..how do you tell?...and say i wanted to change to the key of A....what would that 4 chord progression change to?

[AndyJay]

I am no music theory buff by any means, but I'll give any input I can... As far as telling what key a song is in, for most that just have a very basic chord progression like the one you said, an easy way is to look for which chords are major. In most cases, the only chords that are major are those whose roots are the 1st, 4th, and 5th notes of a major scale in that key (this is not always the case, and I don't know exactly why or in what cases you can put another major chord into a progression). So if you are in the key of G, the G, C, and D chords would be major (or sus, sus2, 7th sometimes, etc.; just not minor). If you are in C, the major chords would be C, F, and G. And so on. Alternatively, you can just use the fact that you are a human being with ears and see what chord just sounds best to resolve the overall feeling. Play the progression a few times, then see which chord just makes the whole thing sound finished if played last. That is generally what key you are in.

As for transitions, there are tons of ways to go about it I'm sure. You can just experiment by playing a chord or chords that are in both keys (the one you are in and the one you are going to) to transition. Another way which might sound kind of dumb, depending on when you use it, is to play the 7th version of a chord whose root note is the 5th of the key you are going into. By "7th version" I just mean a major chord with a 7th added. For example, if you are in whatever key and want to get into the key of C, you can transition with a G7. To get into G, transition with a D7. As far as why this works, the best way I can explain it is that (to use that last example) one of the prominent notes you hear of a D7 chord is the 3rd (an F#) which is just one half step away from a G, so playing the D7 creates tension in that you hear something close to but not quite a G, then playing a G chord and going into hte key of G resolves that tension.

Hopefully this helps some, but also, reread my first sentence now. :)

[Mathers420]

I don't know much about theory but unless you really want to learn it I would suggest just playing around with chords and follow your ear.

I can't tell what key anything is but I know if it sounds like shit or not and that is my guide. I really do wanna learn theory though

[DreamingTree34]

i can undersand most of that...i get it....and i too dont wanna learn theory although i should...my friend has tried teaching me it but i dont have the patience...im doing good for teaching myself things...but the only thing i'm lacking is the ability to combine scales and stuff like that.....thanks a lot though i appreciate the help y'all did give me:)

[SaxFunforYOU]

thats a progression in C, although you're playin sharps in the D chord and G chord. To transpose keys... all you have to do is take the key you were in (C) and move all the chords therin up the same amount of steps.

Example: if you change from C to G thats a fifth (or seven half steps), so you likewise move the other chords up a fifth (seven half steps) G becomes D, C is G, and D becomes A.

This is transposition, individual notes in a melody can be changed this way.

[winglet82]

First of all the progression you posted (CGCD) is in the key of G. You can tell because they are the 1-4-5 chords of the G major scale, as previously explained by AndyJay.

Second, the way that I have found to switch keys is to use the "magic chord" as I call it. This chord is always the 4/5 chord of the key you want to switch to. For example, if you want to switch to the key of G, you would play a C/D chord. If you want to switch to the key of E you would play an A/B chord. This will always give you the proper transition into the key you are looking to move to.

[cj4258]

Originally posted by DreamingTree34
... say i wanted to change to the key of A....what would that 4 chord progression change to?

If the 1 4 5 progression of G is GCD
The 1 4 5 progression of A is ADE

Transitions are a matter of feeling pertaining to the song you're tweaking/playing. Normally, in mainstream music, you'll find the transition is rudimentary, in that you will return to the tonic (in the first case above, G) and step up to your new tonic (in the second case above, A).

Something like:
Verse | C | G | C | D |
Chorus | G | D | C | D |
Transition | G | D | G | A |
New Chorus | A | E | D | E |

etc.

But there are other wasy to do it, like described above.