Q. Say the key signature deviates from those that conventionally correspond to the keys. How do you figure out the key then? I usually do it by trial and error on the piano, but is there a better way?
A. I've noticed that you have a lot of theory questions, and I think that you might enjoy browsing through the various sections of the dolmetsch theory site. It will address a lot of the basics about chords, scales, modes, etc. The music dictionary section is extensive. Check it out and see if it might be useful to you:
http://www.dolmetsch.com/ourresources.htm
Best wishes.
Musician, published composer, teacher.
How to transcribe lyrics to the piano?
Q. I know how to play the piano and have lately wrote some lyrics. But, I need help. How do you transpose lyrics into a piano song. I have picked E Major as my key.
My chord progression is: E - G# - B - A
Could anyone help me, I'm stuck?
A. While there are no rules, there are premises, fundamental ideas on how it works best, which have been written about and are helpful.
Do yourself a very big favor, and purchase a Harvard dictionary of music and music terms, available in a low cost paperback edition. You are clearly working on your own, and if you looked up transpose, for example, you would find it does not at all apply to SETTING text to music.
Also look up Prosody, which is the subject best for you to learn something of if you are to set words to music.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prosody
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prosody_(linguistics)
Since you are doing this so on your own, finding out what prosody is, as a general concept, will already be a great help in how to think about the problem in front of you.
I am certain there are either articles or books, or a chapter of a book, dedicated to Prosody as it relates to the craft of setting words to music. I leave it to you to research that.
For a good beginning, go through some exercise in setting text to a simple melodic line, without adding chords or any other kind of accompaniment. Setting both words and line in a manner closer to personal daily speech, with pauses (rests) and not trying to fit it into a metric verse format, while avoiding convential pop song formats, will give you that much better an understanding of how to effectively but it into the more conventional metric forms as used in popular song.
I suggest some nursery rhymes or short poems for children. If there is a tune associated with the nursery rhyme, as is often the case, take the text, forget the old tune, and write a new one for it. Setting prose, unrhymed and not metric text, is also a great and informative exercise. Again, concentrate only on words and musical line, without accompaniment.
The direct experiences will give you a much better idea how it works, the exercises should be short, which allows your beginning and ending it quickly so you can go to another for further practice.
Since your project is likely to come out less well and / or take much longer unless you have some prior experience, that series of short exercises is a good preliminary work prior your directly attempting a moderate length pop song, the practice giving you a much better chance for 'success' when you start to work on your song.
At least Prosody will give you some very worthwhile 'generalities,' and help you in understanding how to think about the problem (In one regard, making art is solving problems you have set up for yourself.)
With little or no background or experience, other generalities from the most well-intended contributor will offer you very little in the way of concrete guidance.
Best regards.
What is a good cheap keyboard that actually sounds like a piano?
Q. I would like to start playing one, are their any keyboards are under 100$? I know it's not very likely though.
A. The 'Portable Grand' voice on this Yamaha PSRE223 piano sounds like a real piano. You get a lot more than just that though, including 100 songs that you can learn, metronome, lots of instrument sounds, chord dictionary, educational suite, etc.
You can read the whole description below.
http://www.zzounds.com/item--YAMPSRE223
Good luck!
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Title : How can you determine what key a piece of music is in if you can't tell by looking at the Key Signature?
Description : Q. Say the key signature deviates from those that conventionally correspond to the keys. How do you figure out the key then? I usually do...