key signature database?

June 22, 2007 3:20 PM

Is there a database/website that has key signature information on popular songs.... (.e. U2 "Where The Streets Have No Name" key of D major)
posted by mrmarley to Media & Arts (1 answer total)

Guitar tab or chord sheets sometimes have this stuff.... with the caveat that it's only somewhat reliable. Most transcribers seem to *try* to get close to the key the most popular recordings of a work are done in, but sometimes they're simplifying the arrangment, fitting it to the chords they know, or their own range. Still, it's not a bad place to start, and I can't think of any better resources.

Are you trying to gather statistical information about a large sample of songs, or are you just doing this on a song-by-song basis for your own purposes?
posted by weston at 9:23 PM on June 22, 2007