I often see musicians say something like performing in the key of G. Since they use many different notes while performing, what does this really mean?.
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If you’re in G, it’s like the G major chord is your home base. In simple songs, and even fairly often in highly sophisticated pieces of music, things will often all begin and/or end on a G major chord if you are in the key of G major. Even if a song doesn’t begin and end on a G major chord, if the song is in the key of G major then G major will still “feel” like “home” to both the players and listeners.
If you’re playing with other musicians, it’s pretty helpful for you to all collectively know that G major is the home base as you execute the song as a unit. That’s because everyone will consequently know that the G major chord is the “home base” chord and that the G major scale is the “home base” scale for the song being played. Feel free to stop here, but just to get a little more in-depth in case that wasn’t enough:
G major (or any major or minor key, for that matter) implies 7 specific chords relative to that key AND a scale (the G major scale, in this example). Those 7 chords are the basis for the harmonies (aka chords used) in the song. The scale is the blueprint for those 7 chords as well as a source of melodies, solos, riffs, drones, bass parts, etc. to be used in the song at the performer/composers discretion.
Not to be too confusing, but to address the “many notes” part of your question: there are several common deviations from the 7 chords and eponymous scale implied by any stated or implied major or minor key that seasoned musicians know to sort of expect from experience and listening.
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