Key?

I no nothing about music theory and would like to know how to put together music. All that I no is that a tune has to be in a key and the solo has to be in that scale. What is a key? and how do you build a tune around it?
Could Someone Please Help?
Also, does anyone have any tips for doing solos?

a key is like when the say "E" minor penatonic and that is where most solos come from (no feedback pls pls pls) which meanning the minor scape is in the key "E" and if u wanted to change the key you would have to move up octaves.

In my modes tutorial, there is a lesson on building chord progressions out of scales, check it out, and also search this forum for more pointers.

You could also try looking around on the 'net or bookshop or whatever at diatonic chord structures - it'll explain to you how it all fits together...

The key is given by the number of sharps and/or flats.
A song in the Key of "C" major, or its relative minor ( A minor) presents no sharps and flats. So you can use a "C" major scale or an "A" minor scale for the solo part.
As for the chords; you have to harmonize the scale. That means building chords based in the scale only.
When you harmonize the "C" major scale, none of your chords contein sharps or flats. These are the chords for the harmonized "C" major scale:
C major
D minor
E minor
F major
G major
A minor
B diminished.

Note that if you play an "E" major, you would use a G# as part of the chord; and G# is not part of the "C" major scale, in consecuense your solo and chord progression wont match. Therefore the E minor chord is to be played in your chord progression.

Thanks for that man. I can understand it more now.
So if your song was in the Key of C major, you can only use chords from the positions of C Major scale. And you can only produce a solo using the C Major scale or it's minor A Minor .

Think thats right can someone tell me if I'm wrong
Thanks again

...."Sex is like macdonalds, cheap, quick and tasty" ??? :confused: i dont think i will ever have sex again...dude im getting some bad bad visions right now...

You got it.
Here is the harmonized "G" major scale or its relative minor "E" minor:
G major
A minor
B minor
C major
D major
E minor
F# diminished
Use the "G" major scale or the "E" minor scale for your soloing;
the "G major pentatonic" and the "E minor pentatonic" can be used too.
In this case the key is "G major" or "E minor"
Note how both scales have the same Sharp note ( F#)
(G-A-B-C-D-E-F#-G) (E-F#-G-A-B-C-D-E)
Again, the key is given by the number of Sharps and Flats, in the present example we have one sharp (F#).

When you play a "B minor chord" you are using the "F#" as part of the chord.
You should not play a "B major Chord" (B,D#,F#) becouse "D#" is not part of the "G major scale".
The "F#minor chord" uses (F#,A,C#) and "C#" is not part of the scale.
The correct chord is "F# diminished" wich uses (F#,A,C) and the "C" note is part of the G major scale.
Just so you know, I use " " and ( ) to group musical notes and avoid confusion, with the letters from words.

A key is a group of notes which sound fine and fit eachother when you play.
Every key has its own special taste (sad, happy,dark...etc.)

as simple as possible ...

There are lots of things to say...


http://www.MyGuitarWorkshop.com

A Key does not have a particuliar taste or flavor; modes do.
Since the step pattern is the same for the major scale in all the keys:
Root + W+ W + H + W + W + W + H. The flavor remains the same.
However, there is difference in the pitch when you change Keys.

Modes provide a different flavor, becouse the step pattern is different.
Take for example a Lydian Mode, the step pattern is :
Root + W + W + W + H + W + W + H.
Compare this step pattern to the major scale and you will see that they are different. (The fourth degree)

The Lydian mode has a different flavor and is used a lot over Jazz progressions.

Ok so I got all this, now what to do.
I understand which chords I can use in which scale, so where do I start writting my music?
I would like to create something rock/metal and create a cool solo in the high notes so would like to use some power chords instead of the basic.
I know it might sound like I'm going to far ahead on this but I can play alot (talking 100s) of rock and metal songs that I have learn from tabs on the internet as I don't read music (and don't intend to). So I reconise the patterns and what sounds good but where should I start and I really need help with the solo because I really don't have a clue where to start on those.

Creating a song requieres both; planing and good ear.
So, I`m gonna tell you what I do.
-Start writting on paper your Scale.
-Harmonize the Scale
-Make chord diagramas
-Make a chord progression, you can fallow the circle of fifths, or use common
progressions for your style of music; or you can order the chords in an order that sounds good to you.
-Record your chord progression, play it back and start jaming a little using the scale that
you selected before, make use of all the techniques you know, such as:
hummer on, pull off, slides, finger taping, bends, pinch harmonics, etc.
Also use intervals, string skiping, sweep arpegios and so on. Here is where
the ear and personal style comes into action.
-Record your song and make sure to writte it on Tabs.

I`m sure the rest of the guys here can give you some ideas on how they meke their songs.
Good luck

:rolleyes: There is a free book called "Diatonically Speaking" at www.guitarthumper.com in a download called "GT's Musician's Toolbox" for free. Starts at the beginning and works on up. An on-line version of the book will be up soon.