JInx
166 posts
Jan 24, 2012
2:14 PM
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I noticed something the other day. When playing songs sequentially, the key selection of each song matters. Moving form key to key, song to song can sound either very pleasant or just plain awful.
For instance, if I switch from MY BABY JUST CARES in Bb to ROADHOUSE BUES in E, it sounds very nice. If I transition from Bb to Eb or C, it sounds crap.
Has anyone found any other nice song key transitions for bluesy stuff? Does anyone know why certain key combos transition so nicely?
PS I also notice that a transition from E to Bb also sounds nice.
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billy_shines
56 posts
Jan 25, 2012
8:44 AM
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so your saying
A-Eb-A
B-F-B
C-F#-C
D-Ab-D
E-Bb-E
F-B-F
G-Db-G
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oldwailer
1834 posts
Jan 25, 2012
11:08 AM
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I took guitar lessons once from a guy who always made his set list following the circle of fifths. That was easy for him--he didn't sing--for me, I just play whatever I feel like playing--when you change keys it might sound a little strange for a couple of seconds, then your inner musical sense adjusts to the new key and away you go. . .
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Always be yourself--unless you suck. . .
-Joss Whedon
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MrVerylongusername
2169 posts
Jan 25, 2012
12:42 PM
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I'm not discounting the idea...
I can really understand how different intervals evoke different feelings. I can't say I've ever noticed an effect of intervals between whole songs as opposed to between notes. Any research on this I wonder?
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MP
1970 posts
Jan 25, 2012
1:43 PM
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i've never noticed such a thing. one thing that is noticeable is if you play lots of songs in a row in the same key. this happens a lot in blues because the main keys are either E or A. best mix up keys from song to song.
also, it's a good idea to avoid say, playing a shuffle in E followed by another shuffle in E. or A or G or whatever. same with slow blues. use them sparingly unless you are BB KING.
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MP
doctor of semiotics and reed replacement.
"making the world a better place, one harmonica at a time"
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LittleBubba
151 posts
Jan 25, 2012
4:38 PM
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I don't think there's an inherent pattern to follow when switching up keys; my guess is that different people would find different intervals that pleased their ears.
Like others, I think it's good to switch up when possible.
I once constructed a playlist that involved moving up a key at a time, then dropping down a fifth & going again.
I thought I'd see what kind of tension it created, but it was no big deal.
In general, I think we do like changes that wake up our ears & get our attention.
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billy_shines
64 posts
Jan 25, 2012
5:23 PM
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i dont think hes talking pattern i think he means the segue from one song to the next without a stop.
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LittleBubba
152 posts
Jan 25, 2012
5:27 PM
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yeah, yer prob'ly right there. thanks. Then, it prob'ly does make more sense.
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nacoran
5140 posts
Jan 25, 2012
10:24 PM
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Yeah, I think it would depend on how quickly you were going from one song to the next. If you are playing straight into the next song it would just would be kind of just like a key change and moving along the circle of fifths might work well, or possibly just playing something with a root in the final chord of the last song. I haven't really done much with key changes inside songs. We only have one song that changes keys, but we just go from C to D to E, switching after each and play through. I don't think you'd want to switch from C to Db, for instance, because suddenly every note from the previous song would be dissonant with every note in the new song. Moving around the circle you'd only get one note dissonant.
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harmonicajoe
24 posts
Jan 28, 2012
9:53 AM
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One of the guys in my band always wants to write the set list with the songs in ascending order of keys. For exam-ple he would play the first song in D then the next in Eflat or E and so on. The rest of us basically ignore him, but it's an interesting theory. We just try not to play too many songs in the same key in a row.
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billy_shines
75 posts
Jan 28, 2012
10:20 AM
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my band played in E A D G and one song in B. i cant sing in A so the guitarist did and the ones in A i did sing we saved till last set. we would usually segue into several songs all the same key. now that i cant find anyone interested in playing out i do everything playing in open G. i have several variations gGDGbd/gGDGgc/cGDGbd when i slide i play in my lap using a special 20 for a slide and play harp on the one. i have an indian 3 string dotara bass i can play a 1-4-5 in G or an indian riff in D with my right hand and playing harp either blues or faking harmonium with my left. i do on the road again in D with a flat back indian tanpura tuned DAAD again i play with my left and do some slide with the harp. i also so amazing grace on it and tomorrow never knows. nobody so far has complained about the limited keys i play in. now i just need the ultimate harp holder lol.
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