Song Key Finder: What Key Is This Song In?
Find the key of a song, a backing track or a beat from the audio file: the result shows the tonic, whether the key is major or minor, the relative key and the Camelot code, with the confidence of the reading and two alternatives.
How to use it
- Tap Choose audio file (MP3, M4A, WAV, OGG or FLAC) or drag the file onto the page. On iPhone, the audio has to be in the Files app.
- Wait a few seconds: the key appears in large type, with the relative key and Camelot below it.
- If the confidence is low, look at the two alternatives and check by playing the chord along with the song.
- To sing it in another key, tap Change the key of this song; to find the right key for you, tap Best key for my voice.
Help and explanations
Use it to play along without hunting for the key on the fretboard, to check a chord chart before rehearsal and to see whether a song sits too high for your voice. The analysis runs in your browser and the file isn't uploaded. YouTube links won't work: use an audio file saved on your device.
How the tool finds the key
It measures which notes sound most across the whole song (12 pitch classes, ignoring the octave) and compares that profile with those of the 24 major and minor keys. The closest match becomes the result; the next two appear as alternatives, each with its percentage.
Before that, it measures the tuning of the recording. If the song is slightly above or below A 440, a note under the result shows by how much, and the key is still correct. To play along, match your instrument with the tuner.
Major key, minor key and the relative key
C major and A minor use the same seven notes; what changes is the note that feels like home. That's why the relative key always appears next to the result: if the song ends on a minor chord and sounds sadder, go with the minor. On a chord chart, the key is usually the last chord and the chord the chorus resolves to.
Finding the key by ear
With your instrument in hand, look for the note the melody rests on at the end of phrases and sing it over the music: if it feels like home, it's the tonic. Then try the major and the minor chord on that note and see which one fits. The tool confirms it when your ear is unsure, especially on recordings full of instruments.
Tips
- Modal songs, or songs that change key midway, can land on the relative key or the key a fifth away: check the final chord.
- Original key too high for you? Check your vocal range and shift down the semitones you need.
- In Camelot, tracks with the same code, a neighboring number (8A and 9A) or the other letter (8A and 8B) mix without clashing.
- Need the tempo? The BPM finder shows the BPM front and center from the same file.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find the key of a song?
Open the file here and see the key in a few seconds, with the relative key and two alternatives. By ear, look for the chord the song ends on and the note the melody rests on.
What key is the song I want to sing in?
If you have the audio on your device, open it here to see the key of that recording. The best key for your voice may be a different one: it depends on the lowest and highest notes of the melody and on your range.
Can I find the key of a song from a YouTube link?
No. The page doesn't download anything from the internet: it only analyzes files on your device, like a rehearsal recording, a backing track or a beat.
How can I tell if a song is major or minor?
The result tells you. If the relative key scores a similar percentage, the final chord decides: C major ends on C; A minor ends on an A minor chord.
The detected key doesn't match the chord chart. Which one is right?
It could be the relative key (same notes), the key a fifth away or a chart written for a capo. Check the final chord of the recording; if it's tuned away from A 440, the tuning note under the result shows it.
How do I move a song to a lower key?
After the result, tap Change the key of this song and shift it down in semitones using the same file. Each semitone is a half step: from G to F is 2 semitones.
Does it work with beats and backing tracks?
Yes, with any audio that has notes: beats, backing tracks, phone recordings. Drums only or speech only have no key, and the page tells you so.