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UNPLANNED DOWNTIME: 12th Oct 23:45

Which key

fnptfnpt Frets: 698
in Theory
For a song with the following chords:

Verse: D F Am G
Chorus: Em A F#m B A G

Which key is this song in? Does it change key from verse to chorus?
____
"You don't know what you've got till the whole thing's gone. The days are dark and the road is long."
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Comments

  • vizviz Frets: 10211
    edited September 2022
    Depends on the flow of the music of course, as to where the progression is actually honing in towards, but it could be that:

    the first bit is in D.

    And the 2nd bit could be in G. Could be in Em but sounds more like it's in G, if the finale ends on that chord 

    First bit reminds me of Get Lucky
    Paul_C said: People never read the signature bit.
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  • fnptfnpt Frets: 698
    Thanks @viz.
    ____
    "You don't know what you've got till the whole thing's gone. The days are dark and the road is long."
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  • LestratcasterLestratcaster Frets: 1024
    Are the A and B in the chorus major? If they're minor then its definitely in the key of G.

    The verse could be C but then the 'home' root chord isn't there.
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  • bloodandtearsbloodandtears Frets: 1591
    I'd be inclined to say the verse is also in G, with the F chord being "Borrowed"
    My trading feedback

    is it crazy how saying sentences backwards creates backwards sentences saying how crazy it is?

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  • fnptfnpt Frets: 698
    It's a weird one, as I cannot see a clear key for any of the parts. The song is actually a well known hit from the 80's:


    ____
    "You don't know what you've got till the whole thing's gone. The days are dark and the road is long."
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  • vizviz Frets: 10211
    edited September 2022
    Ah ok, so it starts in Dm (though the 3rd isn't strong and is fairly ambiguous - I can't hear it properly on my phone)

    Then the chorus is temporarily in Em for 2 bars, then F#m. But it's not a massive modulation or anything, so really you'd say the whole song is in D. (A modulation is when the music "establishes itself in a new key", which this doesn't do.)
    Paul_C said: People never read the signature bit.
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  • RolandRoland Frets: 8108
    We’ve played this for years. The chords I use are:
    Intro: A7
    Verse: Dm F Am G Dm F C G
    Chorus: Em A F#m B  A G

    So you could say that the song is in Dm, and the chorus modulates twice before the rapid step down with the A G back to the verse. 
    Tree recycler, and guitarist with  https://www.undercoversband.com/.
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  • fnptfnpt Frets: 698
    Thanks guys.
    ____
    "You don't know what you've got till the whole thing's gone. The days are dark and the road is long."
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  • Danny1969Danny1969 Frets: 9752
    The piano is playing a Maj 3rd on the verse  ...F#  so I wouldn't play a Dm on guitar .. that would sound wrong


    www.2020studios.co.uk 
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  • RolandRoland Frets: 8108
    We started playing this before we had a keyboard player
    Tree recycler, and guitarist with  https://www.undercoversband.com/.
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  • vizviz Frets: 10211
    edited September 2022
    Danny1969 said:
    The piano is playing a Maj 3rd on the verse  ...F#  so I wouldn't play a Dm on guitar .. that would sound wrong


    Fair enough. A bit like smoke on the water. 

    Easiest just to say it’s in D then, rather than D major or D minor. 
    Paul_C said: People never read the signature bit.
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  • LPManicLPManic Frets: 1005
    For me the song is clearly in D. 

    The Em A F#m B is not really the chorus but more of a pre-chorus lead in to emphasis the shift back to the main key of the song.
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  • Danny1969Danny1969 Frets: 9752
    viz said:
    Danny1969 said:
    The piano is playing a Maj 3rd on the verse  ...F#  so I wouldn't play a Dm on guitar .. that would sound wrong


    Fair enough. A bit like smoke on the water. 

    Easiest just to say it’s in D then, rather than D major or D minor. 
    Yeah I would just say in D too 
    In all my years of cover bands I've never played this bit reckon it will go down well. Main Vamp reminds me of Tainted Love 
    www.2020studios.co.uk 
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  • vizviz Frets: 10211
    Reminds me of Get Lucky
    Paul_C said: People never read the signature bit.
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