For some reason, musical key characteristics are not often discussed. It’s not as if professional songwriters randomly choose a key and add random chord changes to it and suddenly have the perfect feeling that matches their lyrics.
This is not a secret. It’s not a secret. I can almost guarantee that most songwriters ask themselves “Is it a positive emotion? If the emotion is positive, they will use a major key. If it’s negative, they’ll use minor keys. Unless you are a very experienced musician, you will either rip the key from another song or consult a list.
Here’s your list. So that your effort is not wasted, we’ll help you match the tone of your song with a particular key. You don’t need to create a bizarre juxtaposition effect. Just find the feeling that you are looking for from the list and get to work.
Understanding your emotions
Everybody knows the basic emotions. Many people also know that certain words are synonyms for these base emotions. They are not. These are subtle explanations of how certain base emotions can combine to create more complex emotions.
Comprehending the complexities of combined emotions
Your music’s power can be increased by being able to absorb all these words and the richness they conjure up. These words should not be added to your lyrics. This won’t make a difference. People must feel touched. You must create an environment that inspires people to recall their own memories and experiences.
You do this by selecting the right musical key to express the emotions.
Music Key Characteristics
We have listed every common key, major, and minor.
You can quickly find what you are looking for by using your browser’s search function. # denotes sharp, while b can be used to indicate flat. You may have contradictory emotions. This shows that the key can be used for describing a variety of polar topics.
C MAJOR
Innocently happy
Pure and simple. Simplicity and naivety. Children are the key to success. Children are free from burden and full of imagination. Powerful resolve. Earnestness. You can feel religious.
C MINOR
Innocently Sad, Love Sick
Lamentations of lost love or unhappiness, and declarations of love. It is a longing soul searching for something new.
C# MINOR
Despair, Wailing, Weeping
An intense expression of grief and sorrow. A time of self-punishment and penance. A conversation with God about the recognition of wrongdoings and atonement.
DB MAJOR
Grief and Depression
The Rapture of the Sad. The grimacing key to choking on tears. Although it can make others laugh, or smile to cheer them up, the truth is that it is incapable of laughing. It is full of sound, sonority and euphony.
D MAJOR
Triumphant, Victorious War Cries
Rejoicing at conquering all obstacles, shouting “hallelujah!” Holiday songs, war marches, and invitations to join the winning side.
D MINOR
Serious, Pious and Ruminating
Feminine, brooding worry, melancholy, and contemplation of negative things.
D# MINOR
Deep Distress, Existential Angst
The treatment of anxiety, existential terror, deep despair, and depression. The dark night of your soul. Fear, hesitation, shuddering, goose bumps. Ghost language.
EB MAJOR
Cruel, hard, but full of devotion
Love, Devotion, Intimacy, Openness, Honest Communion. Conversations with God
E MAJOR
Quarrelsome and Boisterous. Incomplete Pleasure
Shouts of joy, complete delight, but bickering, short-fused and ready to fight
E MINOR
Be effeminate, amorous, and restless
The key can bring grief, sorrow, and restlessness. As a princess trapped in a tower, longing for her rescuer or future lover.
F MAJOR
Fugitive, quick-tempered, passing regret
Compliance: Controlled calmness instead of the willingness to explode. Deeply angry, but still composed and social. Religious sentiment.
F MINOR
Obscure. Plaintive. Funereal
Deepest depression, sorrow over loss and death, misery, and lament, ready to die. Harrowing. Melancholic.
F# MAJOR
Take on Difficulties and Sighs of Relief
Triumph over evil, obstacles, hurdles. Overcoming your foes and finding victory in the end. Amazing clarity of thought, feeling.
F# MINOR
Gloomy, Passionate Resentment
Discontentment, tears, discontentment and long periods of crying can all be signs of this disorder. You can still fight this feeling.
G MAJOR
Grave, Magnificent, and Fantasy
Rustic, Idyllic, Poetic, Lyrical. Calm and content. Tenderness, gratitude and empathy. Friendship and faith. It is a gentle key that brings peace and tranquility.
G MINOR
Unsatisfaction, Discontent
Worry about the future, worry about a failed plan, and gnashing of teeth. A failed plan can cause concern. Struggling with malcontent and dislike
AB MAJOR
Death, Eternity and Judgement
Putrefaction, Wide-ranging views of the dark cosmos and its existence. Ghosts, Ghouls, Goblins, Graveyards. Haunting and Lingering.
AB MINOR
Moaning, grumbling, and wailing
Suffering of the Heart, Lamentations and Life-Long Struggles. Negative views of the life experiences, competition, and growth.
A MAJOR
Joyful, pastoral, declaration of love
Innocent Love, Satisfaction in the current state. Optimistic. Believe in Heaven and the possibility of reuniting lost loved ones. Young and energetic. Trusting the spirit of God.
A MINOR
Tender, Plaintive, Pious
Graceful and feminine in nature Can soothe.
BB MAJOR
Joyful, Quaint, Cheerful
Love, clear conscience, and hope for the future. Positive and able take control to make peace.
BB MINOR
Terrible, the Night Mocking
The Garment of Night Surly, Blasphemous and Turning away both the world, and the divine. Preparations for what lies ahead. Pessimism, despair and giving up. Belief in darkness.
B MAJOR
Harsh, Strong and Wild Rage
Uncontrolled passions. Anger, Jealousy, Fury and Despair. Ready to fight.
B MINOR
Solitary, Melancholic, Patience
Patience is the key to patience.
These feelings didn’t happen by accident. John Mattheson, a German composer and music theorist, wrote about it in his writings in 1713. Rita Steblin translated them in her 1983 book A History Of Key Characteristics In The 18th and Early 19th Centuries.
Once you are happy with the musical key you chose, it is time to decide which chord progression to use to enhance the feeling that you’re trying to achieve. For a quick guide, check out our post on Chord Maps .
Summary of Affective Key Characteristics
Below is a table that summarizes the key features of affective music.
| MUSICAL KEY | EMOTIVE EXPRESSION |
|---|---|
| C MAJOR | Innocently happy |
| C MINOR | Innocently Sad, Love Sick |
| C# MINOR | Despair, Wailing, Weeping |
| DB MAJOR | Depressives and Grief |
| D MAJOR | Triumphant, Victorious War Cries |
| D MINOR | Serious, Pious and Ruminating |
| D# MINOR | Deep Distress, Existential Angst |
| EB MAJOR | Cruel, hard, but full of devotion |
| E MAJOR | Quarrelsome and Boisterous. Incomplete Pleasure |
| E MINOR | Be effeminate, amorous, and restless |
| F MAJOR | Fugitive, quick-tempered, passing regret |
| F MINOR | Obscure. Plaintive. Funereal |
| F# MAJOR | Take on Difficulties and Sighs of Relief |
| F# MINOR | Gloomy, Passionate Resentment |
| G MAJOR | Grave, Magnificent, and Fantasy |
| G MINOR | Unsatisfaction, Discontent |
| AB MAJOR | Death, Eternity and Judgement |
| AB MINOR | Moaning, grumbling, and wailing |
| A MAJOR | Joyful, pastoral, declaration of love |
| A MINOR | Tender, Plaintive, Pious |
| BB MAJOR | Joyful, Quaint, Cheerful |
| BB MINOR | Terrible, the Night Mocking |
| B MAJOR | Harsh, Strong and Wild Rage |
| B MINOR | Solitary, Melancholic, Patience |