How to Learn a New Key
To become a good musician, it is essential to learn how to play fluently in any key. Once you know what notes are in the scale of a key you are not familiar with, the next step is to transfer the knowledge to your instrument until you can instantly find any note of the scale on the fretboard.
Let’s take the key of D major as an example. The notes of the scale are written below. Notice that there are two sharps in this key - F# and C#.
This example shows the fingering for all octaves of the notes of the D major scale in the open position. Learn it from memory and then play it with your eyes closed, naming each note as you play and visualising the notation in your mind. Once you can do this, name the scale degrees as you play instead of the note names. The degrees are written here between the notation and the tablature.
Once you are confident you can instantly find any note of the scale you are working on, try playing some sequences with the notes of the scale. Once again, work towards memorizing each new pattern and then play it with your eyes closed while naming first the notes and then the scale degrees. Here are some sequences to practice.
Practice this pattern descending as well as ascending.
It is also a good idea to practice scales and sequences using different. Here is one which uses a quarter note on the first beat and eighth notes for the rest of the bar. Continue the pattern all the way up to G on the first string and then back down again.
This example runs through the fingering for the D major scale using a rhythm containing eighth rests. Take it slowly at first and count along with your metronome as you play. If you work consistently on this type of exercise, you will develop a much stronger sense of timing.
Here is a song in the key of D major. Listen to how the accompaniment fits with the melody and creates different feelings when moving between major and minor. These chords are all derived from the scale itself. This is the subject of lesson 25 (Scale Tone Chords).
