Music Key

Instruments in Sky play music in different music keys, so that all player music blends well with other music in the environment. These key changes happen automatically so that most players do not have to worry about it. However, experienced musicians may want to understand or control their instrument's key.

If you have selected a Music Sheet (or if someone nearby has selected one), your instrument's key will always be determined by the music sheet; see Music Sheets for all their keys. Otherwise, your instrument's key matches the background music, based on your current location, as detailed in Finding Keys

You can pause your key at any time by completely lowering the volume of the background music in the Audio Settings in-game.

Audio Settings

Finding Keys

Aside from selecting a Music Sheet to change your instrument's key, you can also get specific keys by going to certain areas that have the right notes in their background music. Below, you'll find suggested locations for specific keys. However, these are not the only places that support a specific key of your choice, though notably the most convenient.

Here is an infographic summarising this section, made by clement8978 on Discord.

Infographic by clement8978 on Discord (posted with permission)

If you prefer a video, here's a guide to help:

Where to find all 12 major scales - Sky- Children of the Light

The Original Sound Track (OST) page does include the in-game keys for some tracks. If you are familiar with the game locations of the tracks and have access to the OST, that page may also be helpful.

C major

The majority of music sheets are in C major. These include Music Sheets Bounding About, Boundaries, Aperture, Etude No. 3, Etude No. 4, Music's Embrace, and others. Some places that give you the C major key include:

• Homespace.
• The Villages in Daylight Prairie before activating the bells.
• The Nightbird Whisperer cave in Prairie Peaks in Daylight Prairie.
• The Underground Cavern in Hidden Forest.
• The Temple in Hidden Forest. Mute the background music.
• The Harmony Hall by entering through Valley of Triumph or Aviary Village. Use the loop machine to set your key.
• The Treasure Reef in Golden Wasteland.
• The Archives in Vault of Knowledge.

C Major
C	D	E	F	G
A	B	C	D	E
F	G	A	B	C

C Major (Handpan)
D	A	C	D
F	G	A	C

C Major (Bell)
C	D	G	A
C	D	G	A

C♯/D♭ major

C sharp/D flat major is the key used when playing Music Sheet Queendom.

Two spots that give the C♯/D♭ major key:

• The starting point for the 8-player puzzle in Daylight Prairie
• The Boneyard in Hidden Forest. Mute the background music.

C♯/D♭ Major
D♭	E♭	F	G♭	A♭
B♭	C	D♭	E♭	F
G♭	A♭	B♭	C	D♭

C♯/D♭ Major (Handpan)
E♭	B♭	D♭	E♭
G♭	A♭	B♭	D♭

C♯/D♭ Major (Bell)
D♭	E♭	A♭	B♭
D♭	E♭	A♭	B♭

D major

D major is the key used when playing Music Sheets Hidden Dance, Waltz of the Plains, Ode to Joy, and Etude No. 1.

Here are four areas which will set your key to D major:

• Go through the portal to Daylight Prairie from Home.
• The Temple in Valley of Triumph.
• The Battlefield in Golden Wasteland.

D Major
D	E	F♯	G	A
B	C♯	D	E	F♯
G	A	B	C♯	D

D Major (Handpan)
E	B	D	E
G	A	B	D

D Major (Bell)
D	E	A	B
D	E	A	B

D♯/E♭ major

D sharp/E flat major is the key used when playing Music Sheets Waltzing in the Rain, Wavy Hair, Drifting Over Sand, and The Seed.

Here are three spots for playing with the key E♭ major:

• The Forest's Brook in Hidden Forest. Mute the background music.
• The Broken Temple in Golden Wasteland.
• The Crescent Oasis in Vault of Knowledge.
• The Shard Memories from Season of Shattering Quests.

D♯/E♭ Major
E♭	F	G	A♭	B♭
C	D	E♭	F	G
A♭	B♭	C	D	E♭

D♯/E♭ Major (Handpan)
F	C	E♭	F
A♭	B♭	C	E♭

D♯/E♭ Major (Bell)
E♭	F	B♭	C
E♭	F	B♭	C

E major

If you have Soft Blanket, this is the most convenient way to get the E major key.

The Treehouse in Hidden Forest, added in the Season of Assembly, also plays E major after the music finishes. If you have finished all seasonal quests, you can also just go to that area.

Otherwise, you can go to the end of Orbit, in the place where you exchange your stars for candles. (Don't walk too far into the level as the music will change.)

By using a technique (pausing your key) demonstrated in the video linked above, you can also play with E major in Eden. However, this requires being able to tell notes by ear. When the desired key is achieved (tested by playing an instrument), pause the in-game music by simply going to the Audio Settings and turning off the music.

E Major
E	F♯	G♯	A	B
C♯	D♯	E	F♯	G♯
A	B	C♯	D♯	E

E Major (Handpan)
F♯	C♯	E	F♯
A	B	C♯	E

E Major (Bell)
E	F♯	B	C♯
E	F♯	B	C♯

F major

F major is the key used when playing Music Sheets Looking Up to the Stars, Flying Among the Stars, Without a Paddle, and Step by Step.

The places that support F major include:

• The Shops in Aviary Village.
• The Elevated Clearing in Hidden Forest. Mute the background music.
• The Citadel in Valley of Triumph.
• The Village Theater in Valley of Triumph.
• The first Floor in Vault of Knowledge.
• The Repository of Refuge in Vault of Knowledge.

F Major
F	G	A	B♭	C
D	E	F	G	A
B♭	C	D	E	F

F Major (Handpan)
G	D	F	G
B♭	C	D	F

F Major (Bell)
F	G	C	D
F	G	C	D

F♯/G♭ major

The most convenient quiet place with F sharp/G flat major is the Boneyard in Hidden Forest, after the Jellyfish have been released and the background music has finished. Though, there is also a section of the background music in the 8-player elevator in Daylight Prairie where the key for the instruments is G♭ major.

F♯/G♭ Major
G♭	A♭	B♭	C♭	D♭
E♭	F	G♭	A♭	B♭
C♭	D♭	E♭	F	G♭

F♯/G♭ Major (Handpan)
A♭	E♭	G♭	A♭
C♭	D♭	E♭	G♭

F♯/G♭ Major (Bell)
G♭	A♭	D♭	E♭
G♭	A♭	D♭	E♭

G major

G major is the key used when playing Music Sheets Warrior, Happy Birthday to You, and Etude No. 2.

A place with G major is the clearing/Social Area in Hidden Forest after the background music has finished.
You can also go to the start of Isle of Dawn.

G Major
G	A	B	C	D
E	F♯	G	A	B
C	D	E	F♯	G

G Major (Handpan)
A	E	G	A
C	D	E	G

G Major (Bell)
G	A	D	E
G	A	D	E

G♯/A♭ major

You can get the G sharp/A flat major key in the Coliseum in Valley of Triumph after completing either race, and waiting for the background music to finish.

G♯/A♭ Major
A♭	B♭	C	D♭	E♭
F	G♭	A♭	B♭	C
D♭	E♭	F	G♭	A♭

G♯/A♭ Major (Handpan)
B♭	F	A♭	B♭
D♭	E♭	F	A♭

G♯/A♭ Major (Bell)
A♭	B♭	E♭	F
A♭	B♭	E♭	F

A major

A major is the key used when playing Earnest Looks.

An area with the key A major is the fourth Floor in Vault of Knowledge.

A Major
A	B	C♯	D	E
F♯	G♯	A	B	C♯
D	E	F♯	G♯	A

A Major (Handpan)
B	F♯	A	B
D	E	F♯	A

A Major (Bell)
A	B	E	F♯
A	B	E	F♯

A♯/B♭ major

A sharp/B flat major is the key used when playing Support From Above.

A place with A sharp/B flat major is the after-Temple area in Hidden Forest, after the background music has finished.

A♯/B♭ Major
B♭	C	D	E♭	F
G	A	B♭	C	D
E♭	F	G	A	B♭

A♯/B♭ Major (Handpan)
C	G	B♭	C
E♭	F	G	B♭

A♯/B♭ Major (Bell)
B♭	C	F	G
B♭	C	F	G

B major

If you have Music Sheet Forest Walk or Runaway, this is the most convenient way to get the B major key.

Otherwise, you'll need to use a technique called "pausing your key" to play an instrument with this key. To do this, you'll need to be able to tell notes by ear. When the desired key is achieved (tested by playing an instrument), you can turn off the background music in Audio settings, at the right moment, to pause your key.

B major is part of the background music in:

• The Boneyard in Hidden Forest. Activate the Jellyfish - the beginning of the music will be in B major.
• Towards the end of a race in Valley of Triumph. A section towards the end of the music is in B major.
• The second Floor of Vault of Knowledge. A section of the music will be in B major.

B Major
B	C♯	D♯	E	F♯
G♯	A♯	B	C♯	D♯
E	F♯	G♯	A♯	B

B Major (Handpan)
C♯	G♯	B	C♯
E	F♯	G♯	B

B Major (Bell)
B	C♯	F♯	G♯
B	C♯	F♯	G♯

Sound Effects

A lot of sounds are in tune with your key, including the call of your voice, the sound of forging candles, and some Expressions:

In an interview with FMOD, the Sky sound designer mentioned this technical detail.

Which technical detail are you most proud of?
Ritsu: The tone of many sound effects are pitch shifted in real-time according to the music key. This avoided subconscious player discomfort caused by discord between music and sound effect.

Key by Location

Note that an area which has no background music will not set your key to a new one.

Realm	Area	Key(s)	Notes
Home	Home	-	Will use the key from where you last were. If you've just opened Sky, it will use the key from the loading screens, i.e. C.
Aviary Village	Village Plaza	B, G, E, F, G♭, D, C	During Sunrise, Fog, or Nighttime lighting in the Day/Night Cycle, the key is B.
	Nest	-
	Aviary Shops	F
	Concert Hall	-
	Nesting Workshop	F
	Aviary Village Cafe	B♭, F, A, B, D, C	Finishes on F
Isle of Dawn	Mural Cave	G
	Sand Dunes	G
	Isle Temple	D♭, A♭, C	Predominantly D♭
	Butterfly Cave	G
	Cave of Prophecies	C, D♭, D, G, B♭, F	Will use the key from the music that triggers when the door is opened, otherwise it will not set your key into a new one.
	Passage Stone	B, B♭, A♭, E	Loops but is E for most of the song.
Daylight Prairie	Butterfly Fields	D
	Caves	-	Will use your key from where you last were. If you've traveled from Prairie Social Space & Butterfly Fields, the background music will still play.
	Bird Nest	-	Will use your key from where you last were. If you've traveled from Prairie Social Space & Butterfly Fields, the background music will still play.
	Villages	C, F, B♭, D	Before the bells are activated, the key is C.
	Eight-Player Puzzle	D♭, G♭	Will finish on D♭ after background music is finished.
	Prairie Temple	-
	Sanctuary Islands	A♭, D♭, A, D, G	When inside the caves, the key switches frequently between A and D with G briefly near the end of the song.
	Prairie Peaks	All keys are present	Upon entering the area, the key switches between multiple keys until it finishes on D. The key is C in the Nightbird Whisperer cave and G♭ in the Jolly Geologist cave. Note that the key will also switch whenever the area's lighting changes to Sunrise, Sunset, and Night.
Hidden Forest	Forest Clearing	D, G, A, C, B♭	Will finish on G once the background music has finished.
	Forest's Brook	E♭, C	Loops but is E♭ for most of the song.
	Tree Tunnels	D♭, C, A♭	Finishes on D♭
	Boneyard	D♭, C, A♭, F, E♭, B♭, G♭, B, G	Will finish on D♭ in the music when you hit the cutscene before the first manta trapped in darkness. When you light the jellyfish path, it will trigger a soundtrack mostly in B.
	Elevated Clearing	C, F, B♭	The key switches frequently between C and F with B♭ briefly in the middle of the song until it finishes on F.
	Underground Cavern	C
	Forest Temple	F, E♭, C	Will finish on C
	Forest End	G, E♭, C, D, B♭	Will finish on B♭
	The Treehouse	E, C, G, B♭, E♭	Will finish on E
	The Wind Paths	F, B♭, D, C, E♭, G♭	Starts on F, B♭, then loops through D, C, F, E♭ and G♭.
	Blue Bird Theater	D
Valley of Triumph	Ice Rink	A, D♭, C, D, B♭, A♭, G♭, F, G, E♭	In the sliding part at the start, the song loops until you enter the tunnel. Then it will use your key from that moment.
	Sliding Race	F, E♭, B♭, D, C, A♭, G	Same as Flying Race. In the room before starting the race, the music loops until you slide down the slope.
	Citadel	F, E♭	Predominantly F
	Flying Race		Same as Sliding Race
	Coliseum	A♭	After the background music finishes, it is A♭.
	Valley Temple	D
	Valley Temple Maze		Same as Valley Temple
	Village of Dreams	D♭, F	Same as Citadel song after intro
	Hermit Valley		Same as Flying Race and Sliding Race
	Village Theater	F
	Harmony Hall	-	No background music, but will use the key of C when using the Jam Station.
Golden Wasteland	Broken Temple	E♭, D♭	Finishes on E♭
	First Krill Area	-
	Graveyard	-
	Crab Fields	-
	Battlefield	D
	Wasteland Temple	-
	Nintendo Switch Area	D♭
	Forgotten Ark	E♭, A♭	Depends on which quests you have finished.
	Treasure Reef	C
Vault of Knowledge	First Floor	F
	Second Floor	D, F, B
	Third Floor	F, D♭
	Fourth Floor	A
	Fifth Floor	A, C, B, G, E♭, D♭, D, B♭, F
	The Summit		Same as Fifth Floor
	After-Shrine	-
	The Archives	C
	Collaboration Room	-
	Starlight Desert	-
	Crescent Oasis	E♭, E, A♭, A	The whole area is in E♭ except when inside the Royal Palace.
	Moominvalley Glade	G
	Repository of Refuge	F
Eye of Eden	First Section	-
	Second Section	A, E♭, C, F, A♭, D♭, E, G♭, G, B♭, D	Finishes on A♭ by the time you reach the tunnel at the top before the point of no return.
	Third Section	D
	Dark Room	-
	Flight	E♭, A♭, G, C, E	Finishes on E
	Orbit	E, C, G	Starts in E after the credits song stops and you've moved forward a little. When you move forward further to the pathway with Spirits, it goes to C. It eventually goes to G once you near the portal.
Other	Secret Area	-
	Shard Memories	E♭
	Dreams of A Little Friend	C

Sharps and Flats

You may find these tables useful when choosing a key to transcribe other songs into Sky.

Sharps

Number	Key	Sharps
0	C Major	-
1	G Major	F♯
2	D Major	F♯, C♯
3	A Major	C♯, F♯, G♯
4	E Major	F♯, G♯, C♯, D♯
5	B major	C♯, D♯, F♯, G♯, A♯

Flats

Number	Key	Flats
1	F Major	B♭
2	B♭ Major	B♭, E♭
3	E♭ Major	E♭, A♭, B♭
4	A♭ Major	A♭, B♭, D♭, E♭
5	D♭ Major	D♭, E♭, G♭, A♭, B♭
6	G♭ Major	G♭, A♭, B♭, C♭, D♭, E♭

Gallery

C Major in Home

C Major in the Forest Temple

D♭ Major in 8-player elevator in Prairie

D♭ Major in Boneyard in Forest

D Major in Butterfly Fields in Prairie

D Major in Valley Temple

D Major in Battlefield in Wasteland

E♭ Major in Broken Temple in Wasteland

E Major in Orbit

Pausing your key in Eye of Eden, click for Video Guide

F Major in Forest's elevated clearing

F Major in the Citadel in Valley

F Major in the first Floor of Vault

G♭ Major in the Boneyard in Forest (after jellyfish)

G Major in Forest's clearing

A♭ Major in the Coliseum in Valley

A Major in the fourth Floor of Vault

B♭ Major in Forest End

B Major in the Boneyard in Forest

B Major in any race in Valley

B Major in the second Floor of Vault, click for video