How To Find The Key Of A Song By Ear On Bass: The Intuitive Method

[@artolan_illusive]

It works great. Right after seeing your lesson I've listened to a new song from one of the bands and instantly found that it's in Aminor.

[@BecomeABassist]

Awesome! That's exactly what I love to hear Adam! Thanks so much.

[@BrianGranier-bt8ll]

5:20 6:02 6:20 7:41

[@jasonminton9681]

Why the hell did no one tell me this 30 years ago? I might’ve actually stood a chance of sticking with it first time around. That is just the most helpful lesson I’ve ever watched. Luke, you’re a gem!

[@Undertaking-Life]

I have been learning Bass from several different KZbin Channels but your lessons are resonating more than all others.

[@kigtod]

Great practical advice Luke. So much better than being told by other musicians "Just feel it in!". If you're a bass player who also plays six string guitar the trick I've often used when stood at the back of the band is to get to recognise the chord that the guitarist is playing from the back of his hand.

[@BecomeABassist]

Thanks kigtod! You’re absolutely right about recognising chords that other people are playing. I use that trick all he time of I don’t k ow the song that’s being played.

[@TheMOReviewers]

Can I ask how you know what key it's in just from the chords, as many keys use similar chords? Do you just memorise which sets of chords are in which key?

[@kigtod]

@@TheMOReviewers Hi Lupin. I used to be in the backing band for cabaret artists that were often singing and playing guitar. The singer was out front so I could only see the back of their hand. I found I could spot when they were playing a ‘G’ for example because the hand has to be positioned in a particular way. That gave me a clue to the chords in the song. Then, as you say, you can have a good guess at the key. For example if they played G C and D the key was probably G.

[@MKDumas1981]

Once you find your root, a quick way to figure major or minor is to play back and forth between the root, and a half-step lower (one fret down). If it sounds good, it's major. If it doesn't, try it a whole step lower (two frets down). If that sounds good, it's minor. If neither sounds good, keep going back and forth. One of them will pop out.

[@brabbit4200]

Wdym by back and forth?

[@MKDumas1981]

@@brabbit4200: Example: start at A, then go to G#, a half step down. If it sounds satisfying in a non-heavy-metal way, it's major. Then go back to A, then to G, a whole step down. Same thing. Then back to A, then down to F#. Rinse, repeat.

[@brabbit4200]

@@MKDumas1981 appreciate that

[@exavierme]

I already suspected it, but after this vid I am sold, I cannot hear the "bright" or "sadness" between a major or minor. The major song sounded sad to me and the minor song sounded happy to me. I think that rule is too subjective to work for someone like myself. Still helpful vid though.

[@danielmoriarty751]

Your videos are awesome I love how you break it down and make it simple. Keep up the awesome work.

[@BecomeABassist]

Thanks so much Daniel - I really appreciate it. I try to make everything as accessible as possible, so I'm glad you like my teaching style.

[@croft1024]

Great advice on finding the key. When guessing the root note I subscribe to Rock = E or A | Country and folk = G or C | Jazz = Bb or F

[@BecomeABassist]

Haha! I like these rules of thumb!

[@zennor_man]

I like this approach. It leads you experiment around songs you actually like...

[@donh5794]

Great job on this video. I have solid ears, don't know scales and just learning theory.

[@NiekopTube]

Absolutely great instruction, or let's call it help; thanks you very much!

[@captainj-play4999]

Wow, I had never realised this - great tip that will make such a difference.

[@BecomeABassist]

Thanks so much Tim - glad to hear it's helpful. And good to hear from you again!

[@magusdance5240]

Thank you for making this channel. Your videos are informative and very helpful. Godbless you :)

[@mohsenbagheri7984]

Thank you so much for your great lessons

[@marshwetland3808]

Really encouraging that I guessed the same notes as you did on the first two. Hopefully I can do this. I'm feeling like with Beatles or Costello songs, and some others, there are songs that seem to shift key. I guess do the process twice, then, once for each section.

[@jessicacopping2724]

Thank you for this

[@degeest5571]

Very helpful, straightforward

[@BecomeABassist]

Great to hear DeGeest! Glad I could help.

[@sarahdop4071]

Great video. After 4 years, I feel I'm finally getting somewhere. lol

[@BecomeABassist]

Awesome Sarah! Keep going! And if you have any questions, just let me know.

[@satynaidu]

This is awesome.. Would be of great help.

[@tausal1]

Great video!

[@BecomeABassist]

Thanks so much refayet salman. I'm glad you liked it!

[@reedysbarbershop]

A+ Luke, Thank you so much.

[@happydrumz5672]

Which string actually do tou use to find key??

[@allooutrick8266]

I laughed too hard at "this is the deeeeee." Good lesson, in all seriousness.

[@roVERtYSTIFI]

That's really helpful, thank you sir 👍

[@BecomeABassist]

That's great to hear Krzyszard! Thanks for watching.

[@Duincyberkonijn]

Thank you very much, this is very usefull.

[@BecomeABassist]

No worries Richard! Glad to hear it's useful for you.

[@donjean1924]

This is starting more progress for me

[@Defmusicman1]

Wish it was that easy for me. I’m a deaf bassist and learning songs by ear is out of the question. It’s sheet music, charts, tabs, videos and whatever resources I can find.

[@jasonminton9681]

Wow, that’s awesome. I struggle enough with being able to hear. So you feel the notes through your body rather than your ears? Respect, good luck!

[@Defmusicman1]

@@jasonminton9681 It’s mostly feel, yeah. Visual too.

[@BeesWaxMinder]

How do ya make Chords FROM BassLines, please?

[@BecomeABassist]

Do you mean how can you 'extract' the chords from listening to just the bass line @BeesWaxMinder? If that's what you're asking, there's a few ways you can make pretty good guesses. The easiest way is probably something like this: If you can figure out the key of the song, then look at what notes the bass is playing on beat 1 of every bar. If that note comes from the key, then chances are, the note on beat one is going to be one of the chords of the song. It's also possible for this to be the case on beat 3, but less commonly since not all songs change chords in a single bar.

[@romysan1]

nice bass... what make and model ? thanks.

[@veryA72]

Video start at 1:06

[@archivestereo]

really helpful

[@vanessarae4746]

this is the BEST hack i have heard!

[@willrichards1454]

Hey Luke, I am a beginner musician, and I am wondering if it's true that the bass notes played are usually the chords to a song. I ask this because I am practicing figuring out chords to songs.

[@ton3341]

Just search whats root notes

[@jazzerie330]

After hearing the song, I immediately knew what tone it was, and I immediately tried it on the bass. Do I have good ears?

[@BecomeABassist]

Sounds like you might @Zavier

[@gabrielcaleb9277]

I mean what an amazing piece of information

[@SuperDuce74]

What a tremendous little tip. Thanks!

[@BecomeABassist]

You’re welcome Derek. Thanks for watching!

[@cids1599]

Great video.

[@BecomeABassist]

Thanks Cap!

[@stephenkalimosi9298]

Nice

[@Asthachawla]

helpful for a person who doesnt know anything about bass haha thank you!

[@basslover1345]

Very very good.

[@BecomeABassist]

Glad you think so friend!

[@pjrodzjr2790]

Great video!!! Pj - Puerto Rico

[@BecomeABassist]

Cheers PJ! Thanks for watching.

[@giarusai83ss]

Thanks! Good Method, Greetings From Italy (and..Sorry For my bad english..😅)

[@BecomeABassist]

Thanks so much! I’m glad you liked it. And your English is fine!

[@Otagel_3000]

Thank you c:

[@BecomeABassist]

You’re welcome! Thanks for checking it out.

[@cloudJazz77]

What’s the name of your bass?

[@derekblake8782]

It's a Warwick custom shop....top dollar for those but there are some nice cheaper versions

[@derekblake8782]

Apologies I think it may be a Spector...🤔

[@Alex-ou9lb]

Solid

[@carlbradley4872]

Okay this is creepy good. I have always felt my EAR was pretty good, but my voice is WILDLY bad. I cannot sing a note. Seriously. I sing a line from a favorite tune I've known for 50 years and cannot get one note right even though I can HEAR how off I am. That said- BOTH examples here- I was already humming the note perfectly when Luke chimes in. I get it- he likely picked two obvious choices. But my mind is blown. More research to come!

[@alexgallegos9818]

I think I'm tone deaf cuz I hear it d same... Bass might not be for or even music....

[@gentlegstudios543]

Nicr

[@gentlegstudios543]

Nice teacher YOU are good

[@craigroseburgh9348]

You actually hit a D flat.

[@robtanner6845]

I get it, you have a good angle of finding the general key, but too much talking. Better to just get to the point. Video could be 1:45 and very effective, but 9 minutes, too long. Lost interest.

[@BecomeABassist]

Thanks Rob, but I'd rather make a lesson that answers all the potential questions that come up for people who aren't familiar with the ins and outs of all this stuff. You could boil this lesson down to one sentence: "Find a note that works over the whole song and that's your key" But that alone is not particularly helpful. I'd rather go one step further and explain how to do it, and where possible, actually demonstrate what I'm talking about. It sounds like my approach doesn't work for you, and that's fine. I hope you find someone whose style is a better fit.

[@jasonminton9681]

Personally I found it to be spot on, length and content wise. I’m not a very experienced player though so probably need the extra input. Again, thanks Luke, awesome lesson.

[@PotPot_]

Sounds like stimming