How to Play ANY Song in ANY Key 

Somebody please thank this guy in person. He did a good thing.

That's some excellent ear training and tune learning advice. I picked that up from two teachers in the past as well, but they expanded upon the concept a little. Sing the bass, play the melody. Sing the melody, play the bass. Sing the 3rds of the harmony, play the melody. Sing the melody, play the 3rds. Then you play the chords and sing the extensions. Singers have A LOT to share with instrumentalists. If you can hear it, you can own it. If you can sing it, you can song it. Still want to hear how Dianne Reeves approaches all of this as a master musician. And ya gotta get Alexa Tarantino on permanent staff! She talks about this type of stuff all the time on her RU-vids :)

This video is exactly why this is the best jazz education channel on youtube hands down

This method most definitely works & should be a permanent part of learning & practicing tunes. If you don’t know the melody, you can’t play the song. You’ll only be “doodlin’” around. To add to this, you must know your major & minor scales like the back of your hand. If you don’t, you’d better get on it. Also, really know the numbers (ii-v-i-iii-vi-ii-v-etc…). When you know the numbers, scale degree’s, you won’t think about any key. This will turn the “scale practice” into technique practice so your fingers won’t feel foreign to the “key” that you’re playing in. Great lesson, Peter.👊🏾👊🏾

This corresponds to how I learned to play "in the keys", with one exception: You gotta Sing the bass line. To summarize my piano teacher. Learn to relate to the TWO fundamental melodies of a tune as melodies. Harmonic analysis is fine and you need to be able to do it, but avoid the pitfall of over-computation because it leads to consciously directed, unemotional playing. Also, couple of minor bits a bit on practice method: 1) Don't walk into the gym the first day and struggle with 400 lbs on the bench: Start with nursery rhymes and Christmas tunes. 2) If you play a tune in all 12-keys, you'll see the tune; If you play 30 tunes in one key, you'll see the key. Do some of both.

Thank you for crediting bassist Ray Brown in this lesson. Most people never acknowledge the forerunners for their ideas.

This is gold. I can transpose, but I never thought of just doing just the bass and melody first, getting the basic architecture.

Peter, thanks for posting this. Your voicings are beautiful. Years ago, I read a quote that said, "I learned the blues, I Got Rhythm, and Cherokee in all 12 keys and I knew I was ready." The author? Charlie Parker.

Man!! Good stuff!! The actual hearing of the bass movement with the melody in other keys really makes the difference! Thank you!

Man I love hearing you play. Such a good tone, so expressive.

As a subscriber and student of open studio this lesson you have outlined here is just fantastic- thank you Peter and Adam, Chris

OMG, what a fabulous lesson, Peter! Really clear, valuable suggestions on how to approach playing songs in different keys, and I especially appreciate you referencing Ellis Marsalis. The way the notation was presented was also very helpful, along with showing the notes on the graphic keyboard as you were playing. Your enthusiasm is contagious!

I discovered this through the guitar years ago but have never had anyone break it down in such a good way like this before. Excellent video. Subed. Best wishes!

So sooo good! Training the ear through Hearing the keys creates connectivity and depth to stay harmonically in touch in the Key of Music. Thank you!!!

What a fantastic jazz educator--really just blown away.

One of most important lesson for those who want to become a working bass player! Thank you Peter (and Ray!)

This is a GREAT video. Such a simple and direct way to show this with melody leading the way. 👏🏻

That was great, Peter. Where were you when I really needed you? Oh yes, not born yet when I had already been playing keys (first classical and then rock and blues) in decent bands for some 7 years. Now in later life, still playing but almost always transposing as required either by re-writing my charts or using that magic transpose switch on electronic keyboards., especially when it comes to the jazz standards. I have often resolved to learn songs in any key but this video has now finally arrived. Never too late in life to try new things.

These guys at Open Studio are very high level! Great lesson

i have NEVER in my entire, long, far far too-long time on youtube seen a video that is so EXACTLY spot on. i have taken the orange pill ladies and gentleman. i am orange pilled. there is no going back. THE KEY OF MUSIC BABY!!! YEAH!

Peter, I ❤❤❤the Energy & EXCITEment you EXUDE when you talk Music. It's CONTAGIOUS.😊

Absolute genius Peter, I Thank You once again for these great gems we sometimes fail to think about.

Love this, Brother Peter! You just reiterated exactly what I share with my students. I'll be passing this on to them. Oh--and Ray Brown taught me what he gave you when I was 16 years old. Anyway, awesome video. and very helpful! Keep swinging!!!!

A more organic approach to playing in keys - for those who desire freedom from thought before sound, THIS is The Way. Thank you, Peter and Open Studio for all this great help!

Man, your new studio looks so good! Congrats guys.

This is awesome! This is how I've always done it as a kid growing up in a place where I didn't have access to sheet music. I just kept listening to songs and tried to figure them on my own until somehow it got easier and easier! It's always fun even if I don't always get them right. I haven't played the piano in a year, but you inspired me to clean up my place, remove the boxes on top of my piano, and play again. I'll do it later haha!😃

Maestro ,gracias , este tutorial me abrió los ojos y el entendimiento, comprendí muchas cosas que siempre había querido aprender. Fabuloso . Nunca olvidare este momento de luz.

Thank you for a very clear explanation of this concept. I immidiately tried it out with just the melody and it worked surprisingly well.

I am a saxophone, harmonica player. I took guitar lessons from a master for like three years. Can play rudimentary piano. I love your channel. The theory applies to all instruments (duh) and I am seriously considering working on the keys again. Thanks for the info and inspiration

Awesome playing, great teaching. Sound easy but that takes a lot of ear work. I'll do it! 👍

The key of music! Now, Sir, you're the first person to explain what I've always been doing unconsciously when accompanying. Less colorful though, especially in not so common keys but still made it work. Your hints made me discover weak points on which I'm going to concentrate. Many thanks

Awesome content. The best approach to ear training I have found. Thank you!

Man the teachers on this channel really love this stuff, it's great

A priceless gift. Thank you!

Very good stuff! I play for a church in which there’s always a great chance that the choir will sing a song that’s in a key different from the original. I’m firmly against transposing, so knowing how to play in every key is so essential for me.

Such a valuable concept that is exactly how to approach fluidity in all keys. Ty sir…🔥🔥🔥

This is about to change my life ! Thank you for sharing !

Very good stuff Peter, thank you.

Thanks. You got me motivated (and smiling).

I am a guitarist, but, I must say ... what a slap on my face ... thanks indeed! I'll try this on my guitar as well!

Great video Peter!

Beautiful Peter!! Thanks a lot!

I’m not professional but I decided to learn my scales. I also realized that knowing your arpeggios is key for ear player it’s easier if you know all of them for each key. I think those are the natural notes where you will be playing for at least 70% of time, unless the composer moves in and out. Even when you are taken to unusual notes or accidentals it’s close to that key in the circle of fifths. For example if you are in a key of C you could get an F# or the other way around Bb. This is especially true for alto (trumpet).

I just can't. It's like one of the best music video of all time. And this channel has hundreds of them.

A brilliant teacher.

Great lesson. Thank you!

I absolutely love your channel!

A brilliant exercise to widen one’s horizon 👍🏽

Yeah, thinking of scale degrees instead of notes is a game changer. That really helped me when I started learning harmonica, the Richter one. A guitar and piano player myself, remembering notes on harp seemed impossible. Just think about any key harp as C harp and any melody in terms of scale degrees(or you can call the degrees as you'd call them in the key of C) and you get rid of a great deal of calculation. Just keep this tricks to yourself when playing with the band:)

Peter’s chords are 🔥

Excellent video! And I've started using solfege for the melody. The solfege syllables are the same no matter what key you are in. And, you're hearing the melody in relationship to Do, or the tonic of the key Center. Using the Roman numerals for the baseline works pretty good so that you can think of the chord structure. Thank you very much for posting!

This makes so much sense!!! I usually use Al to help me learn records in a weird keys from the original key!!!

This is incredible, thank you!!

Love it Peter!

Great method! For me, playing Bachs 15 Inventionen in all keys made my musical hearing and understanding of intervalls etc. much better and clearer to play standards in all keys.

You guys are the best.

Been doing this with Stella, Autumn Leaves, Blue Bossa and a few other standards just as a fun thing to do. Those are pretty easy for me cuz I've been doing it for a long time. But it's also easy to forget Stella's melody starts on the tonic, and the first chord is a tritone away 😅. It's pretty challenging to do this for me for Someday My Prince Will Come in a key like B Major [cuz I rarely play in that key.]

An amazing ear training. I have to do this more and more!

Is this the best lesson I've seen on learning a tune? Like ever? Man. It doesn't hurt that "Stella" is my favorite tune there is. I just played the opening phrase in 12 keys without even breaking a sweat. Brilliant. I expect it to get harder tomorrow when I work on more of it, but that is enough instant gratification to prove Peter's point for me. Yay.

A seemingly really unique and reasonable approach for becoming good in a smart and efficient way.

Excellent! Thank you.

Great tutorial Ellis Marsalis was a great pianist thanks for sharing

This was amazing!!! Thanks

"In the key of music", I love this concept. I'll say it's easier on a fretboard / fingerboard instrument like bass, guitar, violin etc., because then much of it is just moving shapes. But I'm just beginning to pick up piano and this is inspiring me to really learn my keyboard scales so I can still think in scale degrees. I think on the keyboard the challenge is similar to that on a wind instrument, perhaps especially a woodwind. Whatever shortcuts we take because they're easier come back to bite us sometimes. Nothing beats putting in the work.

Good one Peter!

Transposition is good always!!!

Nice to watch a video that teaches criteria, how to think, and not just «data»

Great stuff . Thank you !!!

Thank you, Maestro 🌹🌹🌹🌹

Beautiful, thank you

You mentioned working with vocalists who might sing in a totally different key than a composition usually is in. I was a military musician. One time we had to play the Star Bangle Banner for an event. Some Navy lieutenant was going to sing it. The banner, a rather familiar piece if you're in the military, is commonly played in one of three different keys, Bb (the official military version, Ab, the Sousa version and G the orchestral version. The schedule called for a spot light on the singer and the hall dark, so the director was conducting with cigarette, so we could see it no lights on stands. We played the last four bars in Ab for an intro, and the lieutenant came in in some ungawdly key around E. We squeaked and squawked for a couple of measures and coalesced in F, dragging the poor singer with us.. Not surprisingly years later the conductor was about to drop the baton on the banner in Bb when the singer turned around as said he sang it in F, which we all then played by ear as there was no music.

So beautiful Peter. U remind me of the great Tony Germaine from my Berklee days. Man the way you guys comp reharmonies is so very out and pretty!

Thank you Peter Martin

I want more videos on this. This concept seems to be where everyone struggles. I almost want more explanation though. I've spent the last decade being told to transpose faster by so many people and not being able to do it fast enough to make my teachers happy.

Great Lesson. Thanxxx

Thank you! Awesome.

Great video! 😎👍🏾

Brilliant! Great advice and proof that I don’t know any standards as well as I should.

You are a good Pianist! You are right! To Play Any Tune in any Key! That's It! Liebe Grüße Stefan 🌞

Thank you for this!! :)

fantastic!!

Excellent video 👍.

Keys to the kingdom! Thank you :)

I just tried improvising on it and if starting from Em, A7 etc and you arrive at the end at Ebmaj7 Abmaj7, I treated Abmaj7 as the 2b of G major, used Ab in first reversal, Cmin6b, treat that as a napolitaine and go to D7/C to go back to the Em!

spectacular

Thanks!

Amazing chord voicings at the whole video. I wonder how is he able to come up with such variety and still sound amazing, is there a secret hidden on this? Usually I use root and 7th on LH and fill with the "fun" notes (extensions) using the RH. I wonder what kind of technique should be applied to "open the horizon" and be able to perform those beautiful chords. Astounding lesson, as always.

Thank you, sir.

Great lesson. BTW: If you would like to get a helping hand from iReal B, click on "font" and then on "number notation".

There's a video of Barry Harris talking about this tune and he touches on this same thing. I recall Peter talking about this on You'll Hear It also.

Dude! Thanks so much. This was amazingly helpful. Now just have to be disciplined enough to think notes in scale degrees.

Thank you for this tip Mr. Martin!! I’ll give it a go…might take me forever but what the hey 🙂

Gamechanging video💪🏽

Exellent!!!❤

Thank you

I just go here to enjoy the wonderful chops of this guy.

Still struggling with this after many years of playing, but I'm getting it. And now I'm teaching my 13 yr old to think this way. Thanks for this lesson.

Thank you !!

Great video, thank you! What is the thinking process for playing a song like “All the Things You Are” in different keys? Do you envision different tonal centers as the song progresses, or do you play the entire chorus with reference to the principal key (the one you end up on at the final resolution)?

This is brilliant. i love your overall vibe. I play this way a bit on guitar, but guitar is a transposing instrument, so it makes it easier. Nevertheless, this is some gold you've given us here. Time to woodshed...