The opening note is not the key of the song....

[stingrayPete1977]

Anyone else get set lists for gigs or dep gigs etc with the keys written next to each song but they have failed to understand the concept of musical keys and actually just given you the note that is either the root of the opening chord or the most common note in the song?!

[bagsieblue]

Hell yes, used to pee me right off too.
Lost count of the number of times this was the subject of discussion.
I feel your pain.

[Dad3353]

Just play it in the key you've been given, then. It won't be repeated often. [size=4] [/size]

[flyfisher]

Er, possibly . . . . I'm not always entirely sure.

What I do know is that I need to know the first note to play to avoid any confusion and I always make a note of it on my own set list.

I guess I've just blown what little credibility I ever had!

[Les]

Yep, Dancing in the moonlight springs to mind

[Johnm93]

I am struggling with the concept of keys, tbh.
Reading the same tutorials five or six times helps. Actually,I don't think it does...

[JapanAxe]

Yup, very annoying! Just needs a little careful enquiry, but you don't always realise until it's too late.

[Doddy]

Very annoying.

[Oopsdabassist]

I don't understand the question.....you mean its not?

[Japhet]

Yep, I understand this. What I don't understand is when 'proper' musos tell me that the key of Ab is different to G#.

[lowdown]

Yep, very annoying.

Although I remember the days on busking gigs when bandleaders just gave fingers for keys.
One finger up for 'G', three fingers up for 'A', two fingers down for 'Bb'...etc...
I still come across it on occasional Jazz gigs with older gentlemen.
After the final tune you just hope that you don't get 'two fingers up' aimed in your direction...

Edited October 18, 2014 by lowdown

[leschirons]

[quote name='Les' timestamp='1413583731' post='2579987']
Yep, Dancing in the moonlight springs to mind
[/quote]

So true.[size=4] [/size][size=4] [/size][size=4] That's the one and like suggested in another reply, I did actually start to play it in the key our guitarist insisted it was in just to make the point. [/size]

[stingrayPete1977]

Oooh I appear to have hit a nerve!

[Bilbo]

It is by no means infalable but, much of the time, the LAST chord of the song is the key it is in. But the point is a good one. A little knowlddge is a dangerous thing.

[lowdown]

Bilbo is right (but as he said - much of the time).
Key changes could put a spanner in the works (although there seems to be little of that these days ).
'Mack the Knife' would leave you dazed and confused.

Edited October 18, 2014 by lowdown

[EssentialTension]

Also annoying:

'It's in A.'

'No, it's in A minor.'

[stingrayPete1977]

[quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1413621897' post='2580172']
Also annoying:

'It's in A.'

'No, it's in A minor.'
[/quote]
That's the sort of thing I'm on about, saying it's in C would have been better!

[lowdown]

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1413623971' post='2580212']
That's the sort of thing I'm on about, saying it's in C would have been better!
[/quote]

And even then, they might have meant C minor.

Edited October 18, 2014 by lowdown

[chris_b]

I get blank looks on deps when I question the keys.

Guitarists are the main culprits.

[bassace]

No, you'd be told if it's in the minor. Major is assumed.

[Dad3353]

Ask the drummer. He/she usually knows. [size=4] [/size]

[Doddy]

[quote name='Japhet' timestamp='1413614575' post='2580098']
Yep, I understand this. What I don't understand is when 'proper' musos tell me that the key of Ab is different to G#.
[/quote]
It's so much easier to write in the key of Ab than G#. Seriously. Ab has 4 flats, G# has everything sharp (Inclding a B#, E# and
an F double#).

Back to the original point, the current annoying one is being told to play Get Lucky in B!!! Wrong on a couple of levels.

[stingrayPete1977]

[quote name='lowdown' timestamp='1413625617' post='2580237']


And even then, they might have meant C minor.
[/quote]
[quote name='bassace' timestamp='1413629704' post='2580284']
No, you'd be told if it's in the minor. Major is assumed.
[/quote]
That's my take on it bassace although I guess it can't hurt to be specific either.

[stingrayPete1977]

Yep I've got get lucky in B on the list Doddy!

[hollywoodrox]

I am no theory expert but even I was able to spot a song recently , where it said it was in the key of F when it was clearly in C . Also I think its easier to just say a song is in C Than Am surely the major key is the main building block then you can take it in whatever direction you want using the appropriate degree of the scale, although I guess it is easier and quicker to somtimes say Minor, dorian or lydian. I still have to refer to circle of fifths or a chart to sometimes find what key a song is in if its other than C LOL