Welcome to another edition of “What Key Am I In?”

If you haven’t seen my past ones, click here to check them out.

Ok… here we go:

What major key am I in if I have these chords:

A# minor
D# minor
E# minor

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Answer:

C# major

Explanation:

Remember this chart from other posts?

There’s only one key that has A#, D# and E# as minor chords… and that key is C#!

Let’s take a look at the C# major scale:

C# D# E# F# G# A# B# C#

It’s the only scale with 7 sharps! Literally every tone of the scale is a sharp.

Now, if we apply the rules from above, we’ll be able to figure out which tones are minor:

C# - major chord
D# - minor chord
E# - minor chord
F# - major chord
G# - major chord
A# - minor chord
B# - diminished chord

So if you got this one right, pat yourself on the back! :)

(I have a confession to make. I was really trying to stump you on this one with the use of C#. Normally this scale would be Db, which only has 5 flats and doesn’t use any of these crazy E# or B# enharmonic notes. But my point is… even when you’re in C#, the rules stay the same. You just gotta think in terms of sharps and some notes you’re used to calling “F” and “C” will be called “E#” and “B#,” respectively. Congrats if this was a piece of cake. It’s means you’re getting it!)

Until next time —

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This is the first episode of a series of posts that I’ll do from time to time called “What Key Am I In?”

Basically, I give you chords and you tell me the major key they’re from.

Here’s a list to help you out:

The first degree of a scale is associated with the major seventh chord.

The second degree of a scale is associated with the minor seventh chord.

The third degree of a scale is associated with the minor seventh chord.

The fourth degree of a scale is associated with the major seventh chord.

The fifth degree of a scale is associated with the dominant seventh chord.

The sixth degree of a scale is associated with the minor seventh chord.

The seventh degree of a scale is associated with the half-diminished seventh chord.

Recap:

The 1st and 4th degrees are major seventh chords.

The 2nd, 3rd, and 6th degrees are minor seventh chords.

The 5th degree is a dominant seventh chord.

The 7th degree is a half-diminished seventh chord.

So what key am I in?

• I have an “A minor 7″ chord.
• I have an “E minor 7″ chord.
• I have a “G major 7″ chord.

(scroll down for answer but don’t peak until you think you’ve got one!)

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Answer: G major

Explanation: Since minor seventh chords are found on the 2nd, 3rd, and 6th tones, I used the process of elimination to rule out keys that didn’t have “A” or “E” as their 2nd, 3rd, or 6th tone.

This left me with the key of C major and G major.

C major has an E minor seventh as its 3rd chord and an A minor seventh as its 6th chord.

G major has an E minor seventh as its 6th chord and an A minor seventh as its 3rd chord (sort of like the opposite of C).

The chord that gives it away is the “G major seventh chord.”

C major doesn’t have a G major seventh chord… only a G dominant seventh chord.

So it was this one little nuance that gave it away.

G major takes this round of “What Key Am I In!”

Until next time,
JG

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