Music theory

[Wiley]

Since my question about the pentatonic scale was enlightning for all of us.  I have another silly question.  Everybody knows House Of The Rising Sun by the animals right?  Any way it starts in Am-C-Dm-F-Am-C-E  and so on  So my question is What key is the song really in?

[Kody]

I'm going to take a half-educated guess and say Am.

1. starts in Am- usually a good hint of which key it is- not always true of course.

2. What other key could it possibly be in? Definately not a Major key.

In A minor the chord analysis would look like:
i(am)-III(C)-IV(D)-VI(F)-
i(am)-III(C)-V(E) etc.

3. I've played the song many years and I know the a minor scale fits right on top of this as far as soloing.

[Wiley]

Now I know I am dumb    I didn't know they actually had a key in A minor.  Never thought about it I guess.  Just figured all keys had to base out of a major.  HMMMM

[Kody]

There are 30 different possible Keys.  15 major and 15 minor. There's only 15 possible key signatures though.(You know, the little sharps or flats placed by the treble or bass clefs in piece of music.)

I've never used sheet music- I've always just kinda played by ear, but I'm going to school to become a music teacher and I have to take 4 years of Music Theory so I'm starting to learn for the first time some interesting things about "music theory".

It's very funny, our professor just told us today that "with what we know now, there isn't anyone who we wouldn't be able to talk theory to". And now it gets brought up on my favorite website.

[3guitarsEddy]

On the original sheet music from the 60's, I think it starts on Dm-F-G-Bflat-Dm-A7-Dm, as arranged by Alan Price.  Whether they used that key, I dont know. Copyright 1964. Is that in the key of F ?

Regards

Eddy

[Kody]

I would think d minor, but I really don't know.lol.

D minor and F major both have 1 flat in the key signature, but since it starts and ends in D minor- I'd have to guess d minor. So far- all the part writing homework I've done- 9 times out of 10 the first and last chords are the I(major tonic) or in this case, I think is the i(minor tonic) of the key and the name of the key.

Also a good way to tell if it's in a minor key is the music will have lots of accidentals.

You guys really have me wandering. If I get more time, I'm going to look into this.

[3guitarsEddy]

While were on about Minors Majors and Diminished etc, can anyone recommend a good book or DVD on Guitar Music theory. It would need to include scales, chords the reading of music.

Many Thanks

Eddy.

[Oldrottenhead]

So my question is What key is the song really in?

at 45rpm its really hard to tell, but luckily i have it on video one in colour the other in black and white, in colour the they are all standing in front of alan price so its hard to see what key he is playing in, however in the black and white version it is obvious they are playing in d minor, however they are miming in that video so who knows for sure.

[Ferryman_1957]

While were on about Minors Majors and Diminished etc, can anyone recommend a good book or DVD on Guitar Music theory. It would need to include scales, chords the reading of music.

Many Thanks

Eddy.

I've been playing guitar and bass for 40 years to a moderate standard and know nothing of any musical theory. I just recently started doing a bit of reading with the goal of trying to learn a bit about the theory side of things. I quite like "Chords and Scales for Guitarists" by David Mead which seems (so far) pitched at the right level (ie goes quite deep but assumes no musical theory knowledge). he also says that you don't need to waste time learning to read music if you don't want to, which I like. Guitar tab (which is easy to read) tells you enough to understand what notes to play, musical notation adds timing and emphasis info which if you are playing rock you don't need because we all add our own feel and interpretation.

Cheers,

Nigel

[tkofaith]

While were on about Minors Majors and Diminished etc, can anyone recommend a good book or DVD on Guitar Music theory. It would need to include scales, chords the reading of music.

Many Thanks

Eddy.

http://books-videos-music.musiciansfriend.com/product/Hal-Leonard-Music-Reading-for-Guitar?sku=900291

I have this book, and it is pretty thorough.