Which pad key should I use for each song?
Short answer. Use the same key the team plays the song in. If the song is in G major, the pad goes in G major; if it is in A minor, the pad goes in A minor.
That rule solves 95% of cases. The rest of this text is for the other 5%.
How to find the key when nobody knows
- Ask the guitar or keys to play the song’s first chord. In the vast majority of worship songs, it is the tonic.
- Fire the pad in that key.
- If it sounds tense or fights the music, try a semitone up and a semitone down. One of the three will fit.
The ear catches the mistake instantly: the right key disappears under the music, the wrong one draws attention.
When the song modulates
Modulation is common on the last chorus. Change the pad with the band — the transition happens with no cut, so there is no reason to leave the old key running.
When the team plays with a capo
What matters is the key that sounds, not the shape the guitarist is playing. A capo on the second fret with a G shape sounds A — the pad goes in A.
When nothing seems to fit
Use a neutral (open chord) pad. It defines neither major nor minor and coexists with any harmony. It is the safe way out for medleys, open prayer moments and ministry without a defined song.