Again, S stands for semitone (one note) and T stands for tone (two notes). This time, with the pattern TSTTSTT as you move up the keyboard. Played from F# to F# on the keyboard, the notes are different, but the essence of F# major is very similar to that of C major.Īgain, what defines a minor key is the gaps between each note. Let’s expand our view out to something other than just the C major scale.

However, that’s not to say it’ll sound great all on its own. This is the root of how to use musical keys in your DAW: if all MIDI notes, samples and recorded audio conform to the same key, you have something musically coherent. Your friend’s xylophone is a great way to learn about musical keys, as they can literally detach the unwanted notes to make sure anything they smash is going to sound good. You can also play different instruments in the same musical key using your DAW

If the two of you are both playing in the same key, what you’re playing is, by and large, going to sound good. So what’s the point? Let’s say you’re playing notes on a piano, and your friend is hitting out notes on a xylophone. If you play all the white notes on your keyboard (or even in your DAW) from C to C, you’ll hear that familiar major scale – a foundation of Western music.

G flat major camelot