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Hi marybeth; The simple answer as to what key a song is in is this: 'The key' is tone that resolves the tune or chord progresion.  Most (but not all) tunes and progressions will start and end on 'the key'.  The resolution of a melody or chord set is sometimes referred to as a cadence - it is like a sonic balance point.

A very handy transposing tool (when you don't have the convenience of Chordie's handy little transposing function) is the circle of fifths.

Music theory is a fascinating topic.  If you want to explore this topic a bit, go to Wikipedia and search for these topics:

      Circle of Fifths

      Key (music)

      Music Theory

It is good to be curious about these ideas, but don't let yourself get bogged down in the technicalities.  Rather, let the technical information enhance your appreciation of music.

If singing and playing are too hard, here is another way to use your mouth and get a melody line going.  This is an amazing video clip . . .

Just stumbled upon this video clip at janisian.com

Take a look - it is an amazing (and highly original) bit of musicianship!

Here is the link (although I don't know if it will work within the context of this forum).

<a href="http://homepage.mac.com/woz/filechute/teaspoon2%5b1%5d%5b1%5d.mpg.mpeg" target="_blank"> http://homepage.mac.com/woz/filechute/t … 1%5d%5b1%5 d.mpg.mpeg</a>

If the link won't work, just copy and paste into your browser bar.

Think beyond retail music stores - check out the pawn shops!  Most cities will have at least one pawn shop that offers an interesting selection of instruments.  Often times the shop owner or an employee is also a musician.

Yes, these places want to sell you what they have on hand - that is how they make a living.  Take your time to really look at and listen to what they've got to offer - you might find a 'veteran' instument that is a gem.

For me it works best to always start learning a song by both singing and playing together.  If the exact words are too difficult, then I just howl out the melody as best as I can until the playing mechanics settle into my brain a bit. 

It all might sound pretty awful at first what with all the howling and thrashing - - but it works for me.

I agree whole-heartedly with Upyerkilt's observation that you do your own version of a song and don't get all obsessive about making it sound like someone else's recording of a song.  Mimicry is not musicianship.

If I want to really polish up a song after both the lyric and accompianment are firmly in my head, I find it very useful to sing it with no instrument - - I'll knock out the beat on the body and/or with my big smelly feet and sing as strong and clear as I am able - - again, it might sound pretty awful at first but it is necessary to really learn the song.

Too many players are very anal about what they do with their fingers and assume that the singing is going to 'just happen'.  Too often, players are hunched over their instrument in such a way that they can't draw a full breath, much less get enough wind to sing a complete lyrical phrase.

Vocalizing takes deliberate effort (and strength)- straighten up our spine and neck, hold your head up (not looking down at your fingers), breath from the deep gut, relax your throat, and open your mouth.  Good vocal technique is no mystery - posture and breathing is the key.

If you must sit down to play - sit erect on the edge of your seat (not slumped back or hunched over your instrument).  I prefer to stand to play and sing - it is more fun and it's easier to breathe.

Everybody's voice is unique - as long as you sing with confidence and conviction it will sound good - at least that's what I keep telling myself.

great story songs:

"And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda" by Eric Bogle - war history in verse.

"Green Fields of France" also by Eric Bogle - more war history in verse.

"Far From Me" by John Prine - haunting imagery, simple yet deep like a hiaku.

"Spanish Pipedream" by John Prine - aka 'Blow up the TV', exquisite silliness.

"Grandpa Was a Carpenter" by John Prine - a whole lifetime in just a few words.

"The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" by The Band - more war history in verse.

"Acadian Driftwood" also by the Band - yet more war history in verse.

"Tangled Up In Blue" by Bob Dylan - practically a novel in verse.

"Shelter From the Storm" also by Bob Dylan - another novel in verse.

Regarding the '=OD' symbol on that Garth Brooks song:  I looked at the song and it seems that particular symbol is just junk . . . whoever originally submitted the selection to the guitartabs site simply made a mess of it. 

I am not personally familiar with this song, but it seems that there are a few other versions appearing in the Chordie index - take a look at those versions and you will probably find something that makes a whole lot more sense.

Sometimes when a song has strange-looking stuff (or seems to be missing lines in the lyric) it is useful to do the following:

Import the selection into your Chordie Songbook, go to your Songbook, and then open it using the 'edit' button at the end of the selections listing line.  You  will then see the song in a 2-pane format. 

The upper pane will show the original source file.  The lower pane will show the song as it appears once Chordie's formatting wizardry has been applied.

By editing the upper/source file, you can correct mistakes or make other changes as you see fit.  The 'update' and 'save' buttons can be used to see changes.  There are very brief (but sufficient) instructions for the simple editing codes in a button on the editing pane.

The editing changes you make in your Chordie Sngbook do not actually alter the source file on the host site  - they only change the way the file will appear when you access it from your Chordie Songbook.

If you choose to eventually publish a Songbook on Chordie, your editing changes will appear within that public Songbook.

As to the chord chart symbols . . . someone else will need to address that question.

Thanks for the info on petitions.  I have signed both.  Internet tab & chord sites help spread the joy of music - - - the business of music benefits when more people participate in making music.  The MPA action will benefit only the attorneys filing the lawsuit.  see attached graphic

Sounds wonderful - that is truly the edge of the world out there.  I took a bicycle trip around the Britian, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales.  Rode the ferry out to Isle of Harris and Lewis becuase I wanted to see the Standing Stones of Callenish and some other sights. 

I can vividly remember riding into the wind whipping in off the North Atlantic - seems that no matter which direction I was headed, it was a headwind.

Enjoy your adventure - catch some big ones.

The goal should simply be some mechanism whereby the list of published songbooks is a "go-to" spot on the web - not just an ad hoc show-and-tell:

"Hey everybody . . . these are some songs I like (but I don't like them enough to post a decent-looking or accurate version)."

Perhaps I am being too persnickety about all this - maybe everything is just fine the way it is . . . but I can't help but feel that Chordie's unique Public Songbook feature can evolve into a potent resource for accurate, usable, and transposable songsheets.

At any rate, I hope others with thoughts on this topic will voice their ideas.  Ultimately, I hope more people will discover and exploit the potenital of Chordie's songbook feature. 

Likewise, this site is somebody else's darling brainchild - and I don't want to tell people how they should raise their children!

For the next two weeks I shall be hiking in Yosemite National Park with my son, my father, my sister, and a niece.  A grand adventure!

Perhaps all songbooks could be available for 30 days (or so).  After that initial posting books with 'low' ratings could be retired and books with 'high' ratings could be extended.

Exemplary selections from highly-rated songbooks could be featured so as to give folks an idea of what to aim for.

Also, perhaps a limit of 10 or 20 (or whatever) songs could be placed on songbooks.  This would help publishers to prioritze their selections and encourage them to groom each item before posting a book.

My guess is that each songbook gets the most exposure soon after it goes public.  Personally, the 'new songbooks' window is typically the first thing I look at after logging in to the site.  A system whereby songbooks are rated within the first week or so of going public has merits.

You bring up a good point regarding rater's personal taste when rating a songbook.  Ideally, the type of songs should not be a factor - but if the most avid users&raters are heavymetal headbangers, a book featuring plaintive ballads and soul-searching ditties will not be recieved warmly.

Nevertheless, the site and the users will benefit from individuals who polish their selections prior to publishing a songbook.

Regarding layout of songs . . . the site is called "Chordie" not "Tabbie".  If someone is interested in playing a song note-for-note exactly as it happens to be played in a particular recording, then the best resource would be a site that features Tabs.

I prefer the chord format since it allows me to get the primary structural elements of a song and then go from there on my own.  I guess that is because I am primarily a singer - the instrument is just a means to an end, not the end itself.  Consequently, the chord format is preferable to Tabs for me.

Here are some examples - go to the songbook "In 3" Waltz Gems.

To get there, go to 'All Public Songbooks' (and change to alphabetical listing).  Because the songbook name starts with quotes, it is the very last book in the alphabatized listings.

Within the "In 3" songbook, look at "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry", or "Amazing Grace", or "Scarborough Fair".

I edited these selections in such a way that the verses are separated by some dots.  I prefer this method of separating verses rather than a comment that says "Verse 2" - - the words would just be visual clutter, but the dots serve the intended purpose and are not distracting.

To see the actual editing commands, simply move a selected song into your personal songbook.  Then, go to your songbook and click on the 'Edit' button next to the song. 

The upper window will show the raw or text file.  The lower window will show the song in formatted style.  Use the 'update' and 'save' buttons to help hone your song's layout.

Another useful tip - - - when adding chords to verses, I have found the process is hastened by first going through the lyric and typing-in each pair of brackets where they need to be positioned.  Then, it is very easy to go back and type in the chords inside the brackets.