How many keys?

[clickhoward]

How many keys can a song be played in? What are the most common keys?

[Andrew]

There are twelve different sounding major keys, and twelve different sounding minor keys and more if you get into modal keys and stuff. I say 'different sounding' because there are more if you count the different names for keys eg C# and Db sound the same but are written down differently.

These are the 12 different keys .For sharps and flats I just put down the most common one.

A Bb B C Db D Eb E F F# G G#

These can all be minor or major.

The most common (for guitar) are probably A, C, D, E and G major and A, B, D and E minor.

[clickhoward]

Thanks for that. All makes sense. I havent gotten so far in my thoery yet, but can you give me a very basic description of what modal keys are? I mean Ive been playing for a while and I have a sense for how chords are formed, how scales work, and, generally, what the common keys are and how they function. Ive been looking at a lot of different scales lately and I was wondering if they all fit, somehow, to our major and minor keys. Thats why I asked the question I guess. I just wanted to know (even though, with my knowledge, it doesnt make sense right now) if there are any other keys.

Thanks again for any help:)

[SRVrules15]

Modes are derived from the major scale. Take the A major scale for example.. and there are different sounds you can get out of it by using the same notes but in a different order. Thats all i can explain, to really learn it cyberfret has alot of mode things. good luck.

[clickhoward]

Actually, that was a pretty good description:)