Method #1: Listen When you’re listening to a piece of music, if the song sounds bright or happy and uses primarily major chords, you’re probably in a major key. Conversely, if the song sounds dark or gloomy and uses primarily minor chords, you’re probably in a minor key.

Play (help·info) Dissonance is caused by the beating between close but non-aligned harmonics. Dissonance may be the difficulty in determining the relationship between two frequencies, determined by their relative wavelengths.

A minor triad can also be described by its intervals: it has as a minor third interval on the bottom and a major third on top or as a root note. They both contain fifths, because a minor third (three semitones) plus a major third (four semitones) equals a perfect fifth (seven semitones).

Songs in the Key of A Major:

Of course a song doesn’t need chords; if it sounds good without it then there’s no need for it. There are no rules in song writing/music making, only some ways that usually sound better than others. It’s a little tricky to define chords, though.

The ‘four chord song’ has been around since Pachelbel’s Canon around the turn of the 18th century. These four chords are the magic I, IV, V and vi.

There are six primary parts to a song:

• Intro. Like the beginning of a film or novel, a song introduction should catch the listener’s attention.
• Verse. The verse of a song is a chance to tell a story.
• Pre-chorus. Although optional, a pre-chorus helps to heighten the impact of the chorus.
• Chorus.
• Bridge.
• Outro.