Keynotes

An attempt to bring a popular Australian game to America. Players have to identify a song by the first nine notes played, similar to the Bid A Note round in Name That Tune.

Premise
Two teams of three contestants (one colored red, the other colored blue ) faced-off in a game of naming songs.

Main Game
Before the teams, is a game board with nine numbered boxes; behind those boxes were "Keynotes" for a Mystery Puzzle Song. Two of the Keynotes (the first & last) were given for free at the start, the seven Keynotes in between, must be earned by the players themselves.

Two players (one from each team) came up to a center podium to play a face-off song. One player would select a card with one of the remaining numbers on it, the host would show the number, and then three words attached to that number were shown. The three words were indicated by color ( red, blue & yellow ). A song would then play, and the players involved tried to lock-in the right color with the right word that ended the verse playing in the song. The first player to lock-in with the correct word won control of the puzzle song, but an incorrect word gave the opposing player control of the puzzle song if that player locked-in the right word otherwise the square temporarily went blank.

When controlling the puzzle song, the Keynote behind the chosen number was revealed (plus any blanks along the way), and then the team in control followed the bouncing ball which gave the rhythm of the missing notes. If they can't come up with the right lyrics to that song, another face-off was played with two different players. The first team to solve the puzzle song won $500, and the first team to solve two puzzles won the game, a total of $1,000 and went on the the Jackpot Round.

Jackpot Round (Bonus Round)
In the Jackpot Round, one more puzzle song was shown to the winning team. They had 25 seconds to reveal as many of the hidden Keynotes as they can. They do that by completing verses of songs by guessing the correct word to each. Players alternated turns picking off numbers by stopping a randomizer and guessing words. To guess a word, one player on the winning team must stop the clock by pressing a button. A correct guess revealed a Keynote, but an incorrect guess caused that square to go blank. When the time was up or when all the boxes were chosen, the revealed notes were played via the bouncing ball. If the winning team can solve this puzzle song, they win $9,000.

International Versions
Even though this didn't sell in America, this show made its way "across the pond" in England from 1989 to 1992 with Alistair Divall as the host.

On the same year the British version was cancelled, Australia revived the show as a summer replacement show for Sale of the Century with Richard Wilkins at the helm.

Inventor
Based on the show of the same name from Australia

Links
Keynotes @ Game Show Pilot Light

YouTube Video
Opening & Closing to the Kevin O'Connell Pilot