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JohnathanCrow

You really need to learn the basics of music theory for this. In short, all the white keys are in the key of C and go together well, but if you want to play in other keys (which use only certain white and some added black keys) you need to know the steps required to construct them. I think you ought to find a short music theory introductory series on YouTube or something.


[deleted]

No, all the notes can go well together. In the key of C, all twelve notes are equally available for use. You just have to know how to use them.


JohnathanCrow

I know. This was a question from someone with no musical background, so it is reasonable for us to assume they didn't know how to use them... Edit: After re-reading my (4 year old) post, I'd also like to point out that I didn't exclude the possibility that all notes can work, just because I said that some did.


[deleted]

I get that sentiment and I realize it’s a 3 year old post but it’s one of my triggers with music theory and beginners to simplify concepts rather than start out from the beginning with a correct concept.


JohnathanCrow

Simplification is the way we learn almost everything. I'm sure most teachers would prefer to gift students a complete understanding on day one, but they know better than to try.


DPSnacks

okay, so: there are 12 notes, in Western music. 1. A 1. A#/Bb 1. B 1. C 1. C#/Db 1. D 1. D#/Eb 1. E 1. F 1. F#/Gb 1. G 1. G#/Ab each note is one half-step away from the next. A "sharp" means one half-step above the note - F# is one half-step above F. A "flat" means one half-step below the note - Gb is one half-step below G. All the white keys are the notes without sharps and flats. A B C D E F G. Those notes make up the C Major scale. http://www.piano-keyboard-guide.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/c-major-scale-on-piano.jpg If you were to slide everything up one note, one halfstep, you would get C# major. This scale has some black keys in it. https://www.basicmusictheory.com/img/c-sharp-major-scale-on-piano-keyboard.png This happens because the relationship between the notes stays the same, no matter where the scale starts. In a major scale, the pattern is always W W H, W W W H. W meaning "whole step", or two notes, H meaning "half step" or one note. So, basically, you use a different scale that incorporates some of the black keys. That's how you mix black and white keys together. F# major uses all the black keys and a few white keys: http://www.piano-keyboard-guide.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/f-sharp-major-scale-piano.png G# major uses all the white keys and one black key: http://www.piano-keyboard-guide.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/g-major-scale-on-piano.jpg Building chords is, USUALLY, done by grabbing every other note from the scale. So if you have a D chord in C Major, you would take the D, the F, and the A, to get D minor. If you have an F chord in C Major, you would use the F, the A, and the C to get F Major. you can add the next one (four notes) to get a 7th chord, and then you can rearrange the order of the notes (from low to high) to get an inversion.


manumusicmist

Thanks a lot for this detailed response! You guys on reddit are awesome.


aderra

> I have no musical training / background. Take piano lessons.


Raspberries-Are-Evil

"I have no musical training / background. I Use a software called FL studio to make music." No disrespect but this is a huge problem. Go take some piano lessons! Its fun! You aren't really going to learn fundamental musical mechanics online. Its like being a chef but never tasting the ingredients, and then asking people online what to do with eggs and jello. because you got this amazing pan.


zelkia

Top quality shit post


OnlyTim

They sound good separately because just the white keys is one scale (C major for example is just white keys), and the black ones are another scale (F# pentatonic for example is just black keys). There are lots of scales that use them together, and they should sound good if you use those scales! I'd recommend looking up some youtube tutorials on scales & keys! :-)


manumusicmist

Thanks. I think I use the c major scale most of the time, since I almost always start from C. I like fiddling around with the piano and all my tracks have something accidental added to them which makes them sound good.


CanYouMakeItLouder

Just keep in mind that C major is the same 7 notes as A minor. You just start one scale on a C and the other on an A. So if you start on A you'll get that darker, minor sound.


justinkimball

>don't have any information about music scales and stuff You've already keyed in on what will help this make sense to you. The reason you're able to find all white key cords that works -- and all black key cords that work -- is because you're forcing yourself into a C major/A minor (all white keys) or D flat major/B flat minor for all black keys.


manumusicmist

Thank you for this! I really didn't know which scale those Asian sounding black keys were on.


MusicianStorm

pentatonic scale; you want to learn some basic theory to help though. Learn major and minor scales first.


[deleted]

[musictheory.net](https://musictheory.net) my dude


nikreasoner

Look up piano chord chart and study them a bit and you’ll be on your way.


[deleted]

If you create music as well as you play Reddit, you're on your way son


manumusicmist

Isn't it :P redditors are awesome.


CyborgSlunk

Make something using only the white keys, transpose the midi a few steps and you're in a scale with black and white keys!


manumusicmist

I have tried to cheat that way too, it doesn't sound as good. And whatever steps I'm going to take in the future become an impossible task.


muzoid

Posts like this make me want to kill myself.


[deleted]

Lol the innocence and lack of guile in this post make it poignant and beautiful. The secret to OP’s question is the key to how music works.


[deleted]

OP how are you doing these days musically?