song key

Can somebody tell me what it means when a dance track is in a certain key?! does it mean the bassline is all in the same key? using the same notes? or the lead is the same key as the bassline?

It doesn't mean anything if the track has only 1 chord. If you have only 1 chord, you don't need a key, or you could choose any key.

Otherwise it means the same as the key means for ANY piece of music.

A piece could be in a certain key, without the root note of that key showing anywhere. But, in practice, the key of a song means that the triad chord on the prime of that key is either start- or pivoting- or endpoint of the song, or two of those or all three. But it does not tell you what the bass does, unless, again, the piece only spans 1 chord. Key is mostly a notation aid.

ok thanks, maybe I'm getting too hung up about things like keys and scales

No you are not. It is by far the most imortant aspect of music making. When you understand the concept of keys and scales you will take your music to a another level.

 

My suggestion is that you take some time away from creating music and start studying music on a theoretical level. I found this for you: http://www.groove3.com/str/music-theory-explained.html

 

Here is a video of Pharrell Williams explaining the importance of getting familiar with music theory:

 

Good luck!

...maybe think of it this way...music theory is to that sound in your head and hands as just like having a really good street map when you find yourself in some new city...use a much or little of it as you like, but you won't regret the time spent helping you get to where you want to go so much faster.../s~

Knowing what keys and scales are, will tell you which notes to play and which to avoid (most of the time)...

A key is basically a collection of notes that you decide you are going to use within that section of the song (or the whole song) and this collection of notes always has one note that all the other revolve around.

 

So for example if something was in the "Key of C" it means that the note C is the "home" note of that song (or section of the song if the key changes later), the most stable note without any tension. The simplest way of showing that you would be in the key of C would be to start on a C and end on a C, giving the impression that the piece started at home, moved around a bit and then went back home; the C "feels" like it stabilizes everything and gives everything a base.

 

To say if something would be in the key of C "Major" or C "Minor" means the other notes that are used around that C "base". For example if the key was in "C Major" that means the home base note would be C and the others notes that you can use around C would be D, E, F, G, A, and B. This is based on the C Major scale. If you have a song that would be in the key of C minor then C is still going to be the home, most stable note, but the others notes you can use are going to be a little different (some notes are in both keys): C, D, E♭, F, G, A♭, B♭. Again to make sure C is recognized as the home note in this key (as opposed to it maybe sound like F is the home note) the simplest most basic way is to start on it and end on it, there are other factors however to which note is the home note within a collection of notes. You should learn different scales to be able to use a key, for example if you learn what the A Major scale is then you know what notes are available for you to use (meaning you also know what notes you shouldn't use) for all the different elements in that part of the song that is in A Major.

 

The Key isn't only about the melody or just the bass line, it's everything you can hear going on that belongs to a key. If I say I want a part of the song to be in C Major then that means I have decided the home note and all the other notes that around going to be available to me: C, D, E, F, G, A, B. The melody, bass, background notes, secondary melody or whatever, I would write them all using only the notes that I know are in the key of C major, I can use them in any order I like for each of the different layers going on in that part of the song.

 

Of course each note in a key can have it's own chord, meaning that in the key of C Major the home note could be a home chord; the C major chord. In C Minor this home chord will be a C minor chord, the quality of the home chord (major or minor) always correlates with the key (Key of E minor = home chord of E minor). Also just throwing it out there but the home note of a key is frequently called the "tonic" of the key, and the home chord the "tonic chord".

 

Of course when you start understanding keys better you can do more things like using notes not inside that key and establishing a key in other ways rather than just making sure you start and end on the tonic.

 

Good luck

Thanks for the good answer mate