the key of a tune

[oj oscillation]

how do i get the key ?
i heard once, if you hit a chord at the end of a song that fits, it`s the key the tune is written.
is it right ?
another thing is , if i play a melody , how do i get it then ?
i mean if i play chords to it, is it the key then ?
i know this sounds stoopid for some of ya musicians, but i`ve always got trouble to understand those whole scales,notes and else.
greetz

[nada]

You may get the key of most tunes by listening to their "main" chord, that is, the chord that dominates the track. There are instances, though, when it is hard to spot it, or that the initial (or ending) chord of the track is not the main one. Sometimes, there are changes from minor to major within the same song (Uriah Heep's "Blind Eye" is a good example). I'd suggest you'd use a stringed or a keyboard instrument and try playing "over" the track while listening to it. Of course, a basic knowledge of notes, scales and harmonic relations (i.e. to be able to tell between a minor and a major chord/melody, a seventh and a sixth etc.) is essential. If you play the guitar, I'd suggest Guitar Pro, a software that will definitely help you.

That's all really.

[oj oscillation]

thanx, nada.
i would say:
the idea of the main chord is the best way to define the key of the song.
when i read for example: beethovens sonata in d-minor, i always thought, the whole tune is only made with the d-minor scale.
but now i understand that the tune can also have another key, whereas the dominat chord declares the key.
now, i slightly get it.
ps: i tried many times to grip some chords while listening to a track, but very most of the tries, i never find a matching chord.
my lack of talent.
i won`t give up, though.
greetz