What key is This Love by Maroon 5 in?

[solo4652]

At rehearsal last night, we were playing This Love by Maroon 5. Guitarist said the song's in key of G. Keys player said it's Cm. Drummer (who also plays keys and guitar) said it's G, using Cm scale. Some "What key" websites say it's Fm. I'm confused. Here's the chord chart: https://www.e-chords.com/chords/maroon-5/this-love

 

[Mykesbass]

Cm. When it hits the G you can hear it hasn't resolved, whereas when it hits both Cm or Eb in that chord chart it does resolve.

[BigRedX]

Unless you are intending to create new parts for the song rather than following what's on the definitive recording, does it matter?

[neepheid]

1 hour ago, BigRedX said:

Unless you are intending to create new parts for the song rather than following what's on the definitive recording, does it matter?

 

Of course it matters - a guitarist and a drummer are wrong and need corrected, tag team style with a keys player.  Get your head in the game!

 

[TimR]

Keys players are usually pretty clued up as they can see the notes of the chords. Guitarists tend to play shapes. 

 

Cm, with a few suspense/transition chords like the G7 and the F.

 

The bass line is great with a lot of chromatic lines from memory. 

 

Edited May 15, 2024 by TimR

[Supernaut]

Remember when Mr Levine needed to see the booty?

 

https://amp.knowyourmeme.com/memes/i-may-need-to-see-the-booty

[solo4652]

The reason I'm asking is that we're using the arrangement of the live version of the song with drop outs at the start of both verses. This live version is one semitone lower than the studio version, but we're playing the song in whatever is the key of the studio version. In the live version, at the end of the first chorus, just before the drop out at the start of verse 2 are three stabs - three notes. Playing in the key of the original version (Cm?), on the bass, I think they're G#, Bb, B.  Guitarist is saying they are G, A, Bb. Much discussion at rehearsal. Here's the live version transposed up 1 semitone. The three notes in question are at 1:16. What are those 3 notes on the bass, please? 

 

 

 

Edited May 15, 2024 by solo4652

[BigRedX]

Are you sure that you've only transposed that up 1 semi-tone. The singer sounds like Mini Mouse, compared with the version I'm vaguely familiar with.

 

Even if you do work out the key for the main part of the song, how do you know that it doesn't change for this particular part or that a note from outside of the key was used because it sounded better? Use your ears and play the notes that you think sound right.

[pete.young]

39 minutes ago, solo4652 said:

The reason I'm asking is that we're using the arrangement of the live version of the song with drop outs at the start of both verses. This live version is one semitone lower than the studio version, but we're playing the song in whatever is the key of the studio version. In the live version, at the end of the first chorus, just before the drop out at the start of verse 2 are three stabs - three notes. Playing in the key of the original version (Cm?), on the bass, I think they're G#, Bb, B.  Guitarist is saying they are G, A, Bb. Much discussion at rehearsal. Here's the live version transposed up 1 semitone. The three notes in question are at 1:16. What are those 3 notes on the bass, please? 

 

 

 

 

 

I agree with you - G# Bb B .

[solo4652]

3 minutes ago, pete.young said:

 

I agree with you - G# Bb B .

 

Thank you. It's doing my head in.

[tauzero]

53 minutes ago, pete.young said:

 

I agree with you - G# Bb B .

 

Surely G♯ A♯ B. Let's not encourage this mixing of sharps and flats. Although in Cm, I suppose that should really be A♭ B♭ C♭.

[Belka]

27 minutes ago, tauzero said:

 

Surely G♯ A♯ B. Let's not encourage this mixing of sharps and flats. Although in Cm, I suppose that should really be A♭ B♭ C♭.

The thing is, there are more minor keys than there are major (natural minor, melodic and harmonic), and this song sounds more harmonic minor than anything with the flattened 6th (Ab) and major 7th (B) being fairly prominent throughout. So to be enharmonically correct I think it would be Ab, Bb, B.  The Bb is a chromatic approach note to the B and technically an accidental here.

 

Quite unusual for a pop song these days

 

I may be wrong though.

Edited May 15, 2024 by Belka

[solo4652]

Thank you to all those who've checked the 3 notes for me - it seems we're all in agreement regarding what they are. That's the most important thing as far as I'm concerned. As for what they're called - well, being honest, that's of less importance to me.

Edited May 15, 2024 by solo4652

[lksmks792]

It's definitely in Cm (though one could argue the chorus is actually in Eb, which uses the same notes). The verses start out on a dominant G resolving to tonic Cm, probably confusing those who just think 'first chord = key'.

[pete.young]

2 hours ago, tauzero said:

 

Surely G♯ A♯ B. Let's not encourage this mixing of sharps and flats. Although in Cm, I suppose that should really be A♭ B♭ C♭.

I heartily applaud the modern fashion for writing everything in C and making every deviation from the major scale an accidental.

[lowdown]

On the studio version the key is 3b's (Eb). The first chord is a dominant 7 1st Inversion:

(G7/B)

 

This chap below has it nailed (accompanied with a scrolling video).

 

All the Bass notes, chord terminology/changes etc are correct.

For non-readers, he has provided tab as well.

 

 

[Guest]

On 16/05/2024 at 12:03, lowdown said:

All the Bass notes

Just spotted a change from Eb to E natural which isn't in the notation, at 1'46"

[Guest]

On 15/05/2024 at 12:49, tauzero said:

 

Surely G♯ A♯ B. Let's not encourage this mixing of sharps and flats. Although in Cm, I suppose that should really be A♭ B♭ C♭.

 

Pointing the existence of the Italian Sixth chord of Bb D G# would be facetious of me, but more seriously that's no more a Cb than I'm the resurrection of Prince Phillip, it's so clearly the leading note going into the chord of C minor.

[lowdown]

21 minutes ago, Munurmunuh said:

Just spotted a change from Eb to E natural which isn't in the notation, at 1'46"

 

 

Yes, if you talking about the displaced note on (off) beat four at bar 38, it's an engraving error. Bar 36 is correct. (I think we can forgive him a dropped natural).