Learn to Analyse Tracks and Recognise the BPM, Key, Chords and Structure

Leren luisteren naar tracks: bpm, key, akkoorden & structuur

Ever wonder why your beats sound different from tracks dropped by other producers? If you’ve been feeling like your tracks lack a bit of oomph and energy, then it can be worth learning how to analyse other people’s work. After all, why struggle when you can simply borrow ideas, right? Remixes, tracks that feature samples, and songs with classic chord progressions are based on the same idea, so there’s nothing to feel bad about. Read on and allow Dutch guest-blogger and producer Daddynervs to explain how you can analyse a track and recognise the BPM, key, chords and structure.

Regen by Lil Kleine

I’m going to show you how to analyse tracks using ‘Regen’ by Dutch rapper Lil Kleine as an example. Have a listen. And don’t worry, you don’t need to understand any of the lyrics.

The Tempo (BPM)

Let’s start with the BPM. Using the online tool beatsperminuteonline.com, you can tap to the beat to figure out the BPM. While you might find it a bit boring, it’s actually incredibly insightful. Tap along to the track above and you should end up with 145 BPM. Because it’s rap and there are various off-beat parts, the tempo might fluctuate a little. In any case, it’s important that you’re able to check the BPM yourself, especially since there’s a lot of conflicting info on the internet.

The Key

After you figure out the BPM, you want to figure out the key that the track is in. Unless you have perfect pitch and can tell notes apart without double-checking them with a musical instrument, you should break out your MIDI keyboard and play along with the melody. Feel free to improvise in between and remember which notes you play. The example track includes the following notes C, D, E, F, G, A and B♭ (not in this order). Did you get it right?

Determining the Key

So how do you determine the key? One way to do this is playing the scale. Most tracks are based on either a major or a minor scale, where major scales sound like solfège (Do, Re, Mi, Fa, Sol, La, Ti). Another way to determine the key is using an online tool like this one. Given the notes of the example tracks (C, D, E, F, G, A and B♭), the key is either going to be F-major or D-minor. If the bass line keeps returning to an F, the track is in F-major. if the bass keeps landing on a D, the track is in D-minor. Spoiler alert: the example track is in D-minor.

Leren luisteren naar tracks: bpm, key, akkoorden & structuur

From the Key to Chords

Now that we’ve established the tempo and key, it’s time to figure out the chords. This can be done by playing along to the bass. Go ahead and give it a try. Ended up playing F – E – D – E? Then sadly I have to tell you that you’ve just played the melody. If you played D – C – B♭ – C, then well done! These are the root notes of the chords that make up the example track. The C chord consists up C-E-G while the B♭ chord consists of B♭-D-F. Note that the notes that make up the melody (F-E-D-E) are also part of the chords. Also, this is easy for me because I already know which notes make up every chord. If you’re new to music theory, you’re probably going to need a helping hand at first. This website should make things easier. If you need more help, then Google is your best friend!

Structure

Okay, so we’ve now pinned down the BPM, the key and the chord progression. Time to figure out how the track has been structured and how many bars it goes on for. This is important to know because it makes it easier to understand how other producers create their music and gives you a better understanding of what’s possible. I can already tell you that most modern tracks have an intro – verse – pre-chorus – chorus structure. The example track is structured as follows:

This should be about right but let me know if you think the structure is different.

Let’s verify the numbers:

The track duration is 2:25 (easily verified).
According to my analysis, the example track features 87 bars in total (see above).
The BPM is 145 (as we established earlier).
The question is; does a 145 BPM track that consists of 87 bars add up to a 2-minute, 25-second total duration?
- How long does 1 beat last?
  1 minute = 60,000ms
  60.000ms per minute / 145 beats per minute = 413.8ms per beat
- How long does 1 bar last?
  1 bar = 4 beats
  413.8ms per beat x 4 beats = 1655.2ms per bar
- How long do 87 bars last?
  1655. ms per bar x 87 bars = 144.002.4ms
  1,000ms is 1 second, so approx. 144 seconds
  144 seconds = 2 minutes and 24 seconds

Conclusion: the maths check out!

Leren luisteren naar tracks: bpm, key, akkoorden & structuur

Pulling in the Listener

Why are songs structured the way they are? Why does the example track start with a chorus and why does the bridge immediately follow after the first verse? I would say it has everything to do with reeling in the listener and getting them hooked. A good arrangement is always worth a focussed listen. Sure, you can also use sounds, effects, stops and interesting vocals and unique instruments to achieve a similar result, but you can only do this after you’ve already come up with a structure. Also, it’d be a little weird to go all-out during the first verse and leave nothing for the chorus.

The example track launches into two choruses before the first minute is up and switches things up with a break after the first verse — all of that to keep the listener focussed and reeled in so that they’re still listening when the second chorus kicks in with more intensity. This ‘trick’ helps keep listeners engaged.

Wrapping Up

It’s important to analyse modern tracks if you want to have a better understanding of what’s actually going on and why. I hope I’ve given you a few useful tips, tricks and tools to help you do exactly that. If you want to know more about track analysis, then feel free to leave your questions in a comment below.