Four chords, but what's the key?

GuyBoden

Continuing the "What key" saga.

I've played/recorded these four chords on a loop, but what's the key?

Answers on a postcard please.

steamabacus

"Who's got the key?"

"Key, what key? Gus got the key"  (3'25")

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8M_sHiOQMVY

GuyBoden

GuyBoden said:

Continuing the "What key" saga.

I've played/recorded these four chords on a loop, but what's the key?

Answers on a postcard please.

steamabacus said:

"Who's got the key?"

Any idea, what's the key to the four chords? 

steamabacus

GuyBoden said:

GuyBoden said:

Continuing the "What key" saga.

I've played/recorded these four chords on a loop, but what's the key?

Answers on a postcard please.

steamabacus said:

"Who's got the key?"

Any idea, what's the key to the four chords? 

Ask Gus Johnson.



More helpfully, I'd say the key changes with the chords. How you play those changes is open to interpretation.


Man.

GuyBoden

steamabacus said:

GuyBoden said:

GuyBoden said:

Continuing the "What key" saga.

I've played/recorded these four chords on a loop, but what's the key?

Answers on a postcard please.

steamabacus said:

"Who's got the key?"

Any idea, what's the key to the four chords? 

Ask Gus Johnson.



More helpfully, I'd say the key changes with the chords. How you play those changes is open to interpretation.

Man.

So, what you're saying is that each chord could be a key, I like it. By the way, MMW are a great band, yeah, Combustication is one of their best albums in my opinion. 

Phil_aka_Pip

so what chords did you play? Name them

bingefeller

I'm guessing the chords are....

G

D

Esus4

Fmaj7#11 or something.

I'll say key of C.  

stickyfiddle

I think it's the key of "that cat picture Lix used to post"...

bingefeller

stickyfiddle said:

I think it's the key of "that cat picture Lix used to post"...

Minor pentatonic is the right scale.

mike_l

bingefeller said:

stickyfiddle said:

I think it's the key of "that cat picture Lix used to post"...

Minor pentatonic is the right scale.

Minor pentatonic is always the right scale.

GuyBoden

bingefeller said:

I'm guessing the chords are....

G

D

Esus4

Fmaj7#11 or something.

I'll say key of C.  

Yeah, it definitely, maybe, could possibly be the key of C.

edit: But it's in fourths..

Phil_aka_Pip

I'd guess G into C

tried strumming those chords on an acoustic. No reason to impose "they must be all in the same key", especially as the D requires F# and the last chords requires F natural

GuyBoden

Phil_aka_Pip said:

I'd guess G into C

tried strumming those chords on an acoustic. No reason to impose "they must be all in the same key", especially as the D requires F# and the last chords requires F natural

There's no F# in any of the chords, they are all stacked fourths and inversions of stacked fourths, but the movement of the voice leading (One note moving to another note) is in thirds.

Phil_aka_Pip

If there's no F# the D chord isn't a D chord. Or at least not a chord containing a Dmaj triad, which is what we imply when we say a D chord.

bingefeller

I had the G and D chords as G5 and D5.  Not entirely sure but that was my initial guess.  

Brad

I get C major, chords something like (highest voice at the top)...   

F     D     B     B

C     A     A     F

G     G    E     C   

First pair of chords on the D, G and B strings, second pair on the A, D and G.

Clarky

I'd play D Dorian over all that..

Handsome_Chris

@Clarky said:

I'd play D Dorian over all that..

I prefer Rotosounds. :P

frankus

What's this?? I wanted Fork Hordes, ya know hordes of forks...

Clarky

Handsome_Chris said:

@Clarky said:

I'd play D Dorian over all that..

I prefer Rotosounds. :P

wis'd for managing to avoid falling down a modes rat-hole..

and you don't want to be doing that unless you're happy to come out of it a jazzer.. lmao

GuyBoden

The chords are all diatonic fourths and inversions of diatonic fourths using the C Ionian (Major) scale.

Chord 1: G C F
Chord 2: G A D
Chord 3: E A B
Chord 4: C F B

Here are the rearrange chord inversions in diatonic Fourths

Chord 1: G C F
Chord 2: A D G
Chord 3: B E A
Chord 4: C F B

But yes, these chords highlight the fact that Fourths (Quartal harmony) have a very ambiguous tonal centre.