Key of the song

If a song for example start like this:

A|-----2-----2---2-----4s5---4s5---2-----------------|
Low E|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-2s3-0-2s3-0-0-----------------|

Is that minor or major. I think its in the key of B minor, but isn't dorian a major mode?..and that riff fit in B dorian...so Key of minor or major?

Im still in the prosses of learning theory:P
Sry if my english are hard to understand:)

err...cant really tell. use the "insert tab" thingy, and insert the tab, it makes it legible.

It's a standard E5, F#5, G5 progression, standard for E minor riffs, relative to G major.

I would say it's in E minor, just on the justification that you are starting on the E, and ending on the E. I will teach you below



It goes like this:

Major Scales!
WWHWWWH - These are the tonal steps between notes. So if we were to start on say, G major, since that's your example, we start on G and count.

G, whole step up to A, whole step up to B, half step to C, whole step to D, whole step to E, whole step to F#, half back to our G

So the scale for G major is:

I, ii, iii, IV, V, vi, vii*, I

G,  A,   B,  C, D,  E,   F#, G

Where the G, C, and D (I, IV, V respectively) are major, and the rest are minor, with F# being diminished. This is your standard MAJOR scale. To find the relative minor in this scale, we take the 6th (vi) chord in our scale, which happens to be E minor.

This is called the Relative Minor of G major. This scale has the same exact notes as the G major scale, except we start on the E, so we have a more depressing sound.


Usually you can identify the key you play in by looking at the first chord of a progression, and seeing what it resolves to. In this case, it starts on an E, and ends on an E, so I say it's in E minor.

The riff was:

A|-----2-----2---2-----4s5---4s5---2-----------------|

E|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-2s3-0-2s3-0-0-----------------|

(put in tab - BHS)

But the riff fit in with a B aeolian scale, doesen't that make it in the key B?

how do u know, u cant go by the shape, anyway thats f# phyrgian which is d maj. and yes bminor is the aeolian for d maj. its not emin i dont think/

isnt it E minor?...

I lied, the C# makes it a mode of D major:

So the key is E dorian. Can anyone confirm this for me? Or am I just confusing the *** out of him :)



Next time, put the "riff" in tab, "["tab"]" so that it is more legible and I don't give you a 10 minute lesson on something completely irrelevant :)

Ok, but is dorian a minor or major? i can never remember.
But it make sence that its in E minor.

Is dorian major?

@ JustJeff: Dude thank you so much! Thats so simple but I cant believe I didnt see it like that before

Rock on man!

no dorian is minor

I-ionian-major scale
ii-dorian-minor
iii-phrygian-minor
IV-lydian-major
V-mixolydian-major
vi-aeolian-minor scale
vii-locrian-diminished

yes, in the key of d that would go to this:

I-ionian-major scale-d
ii-dorian-minor-e
iii-phrygian-minor-f#
IV-lydian-major-g
V-mixolydian-major-a
vi-aeolian-minor scale-b
vii-locrian-diminished-c

i think..maybe thats wrong.

thx alot, but what does diminished means?

D has two sharps so it C# locrian

diminished generally means having a having flattened fifth interval

interval? flat fifth?

i thought you knew modes? the key to understanding/playing modes is the intervals I'm not going to type it out so I'm posting a link

http://www.justinguitar.com/en/SC-011-ScalesCompared.php

just worry about the diatonic major scale it is all that should be entering your head at the monument if you wish to devote yourself to theory

Oki...thx alot:)

what is diatonic major scale?:P...

when i say that i mean what people generally mean by major. but I'm being a pain in the ass so to speak by trying to be more exact.

musical terms are very vague at best and with the advent of forums, knowledge in general tends to get distorted(kind how people think key=scale). there has never been(at lest to my knowledge) a proper name for the diatonic major scale(for example harmonic minor gots a name melodic minor, harmonic major, and locrian major all got proper names) but this scale doesn't. for a while i called it the major mother scale but that sounds dumb and un-smart.

but using just major i feel is incorrect because major like minor are "blanket terms", meaning they mean a lot of things. for example in just the diatonic major scale's modes there is three major scales(Ionian, lydain,and mixolydian)

all diatonic means is the scale is relate/relative to one another(MODES), we use a type of heptatoinc(seven tones) scale in western music called, harmonically speaking a major 13(melody and harmony are pretty much the same thing melodically speaking it would be 1,2,3,4,5,6,7). i would/was going to list what it truly is in just notation but it really shouldn't matter to you right know just this is too much

the real theoretical mumbo gumbo name should be (in my opinion at lest because there really isn't a official name or one at all) "the proper diatonic major scale in 12 tone equal temperament" but that is really a mouthful and no one in there right mind would want to say that so i shorten it to "diatonic major" and because were talking about western music(which with very few exceptions is not in 12 tone), and that i don't know if any of you(i have never know anyone but me) even consciously realize there is more then 12 tones or know what just notion is or even care. plus most people think i just listen to dumb noises or as john cages says "just sounds" and are quite shocked when i tell them what i know.

funny story at high school a music teacher(some uni grad who thought she was great because she went to this place[i hate snobs]) was telling me that a vacuum cleaner makes just sounds and noise and is not musical in any way but then i was able to correct her mistakes when she mistold the class the open strings on the various instruments we were looking at in the band room. i'm sure she knew what they wore but i wasted no time in make her look like a fool when she was just talking down to me like a child five minutes before it was quite rued and unnecessary she got what she deserved.

now to sum it up. I'm basically a smart ass who sometimes gives off the impression that i think i know everything. i can't assure you i don't and i take my opinion over no ones. i don't consider my self smart just very misguided. and due to my smart-ass ways it requires me to get all worked up about the naming of things(side note i hate formalities and have and like to have many names for things). in conclusion that is why i call it the diatonic major scale

the end

lol. Holy crap dude.

oops yeh, i ment c#

Haha that was sick

Hey RA, sorry bout comparing you to baudelaire some time ago, I can see now that you and all right dude and you know what your talking about

wow...i think i know what diatonic major is:P...thx:=)