what key signature?

[andyhix]

This is so stupid, I am embarrassed to even ask.

I have an original song I was trying to transcribe last night and I couldn't figure out what key to write it in.

The verses progression is:
A-Fmaj7-Cmaj7-C11
A-Fmaj7-Fmaj7/C-Fmaj7/B

Chorus:
Em-F-Em-G

So? C, with the accidental C# for the A chord? Hell, I dunno.

[andyhix]

But then of course the B is flat in C11... so maybe it should be in F major? oh, but the B is natural in other chords....bah!! come on, somebody?

[Aaron Cheney]

I'd judge the key by chorus, and the chorus looks to me like it's more of a modal progression with that F in there, let's see... that would be E Phrygian... so it would be in the key of C.

A

[famous beagle]

Does the song have a vocal melody? If so, listen to that to see what sounds like the resolved note.

To me, the verses sound like they are in A with several borrowed chords (borrowed from A minor, except for the C11, which is simply a non-diatonic chord ... or non-resolving secondary dominant to be precise).

Just by playing the chords, I would use the A major key sig. (if the melody tonicizes on A). You'll need to use a bunch of accidentals though.

For the chorus, it sounds like the song changes keys, but without hearing the vocal melody, it's impossible to tell what key it's changed to.

[andyhix]

Well the Vocal melody I think resolves to the A chord. At the end of the song, before going into an outro part (that I didn't mention) the verse comes back to the A and hangs out there for a bit.

The C11 definately is a bit out of place - but in a good way. It provides an interesting tension. but I would agree that it is outside the key of the song.

I'm not sure about how the chorus fits in - whether it's another key or what. I guess I'll just start writing it out one way, then another, and pick whichever has the fewest accidentals.

It just seems there should be a science to it, and my one semester of music theory aint making it particularly obvious.

[famous beagle]

Originally Posted by andyhix

Well the Vocal melody I think resolves to the A chord. At the end of the song, before going into an outro part (that I didn't mention) the verse comes back to the A and hangs out there for a bit.

The C11 definately is a bit out of place - but in a good way. It provides an interesting tension. but I would agree that it is outside the key of the song.

I'm not sure about how the chorus fits in - whether it's another key or what. I guess I'll just start writing it out one way, then another, and pick whichever has the fewest accidentals.

It just seems there should be a science to it, and my one semester of music theory aint making it particularly obvious.

In my opinion, the "science" would not suggest whichever uses the least accidentals. Musicians are used to reading in keys, and the key signature usually tells what key the song is in. So ... even if A major is the only actual chord from A major in the whole song, an A major key sig should still be used. That's my two cents anyway.

For instance, in a C blues, a Bb note is probably much more common than a B natural, but I'd still use a C major key sig.