Help me, music majors

May 27, 2011 7:06 AM

What key and musical scale/mode is this song in?

Just got a copy of ThumbJam for iPhone (SUPER AWESOME) and I want to be able to play this song on there. Thanks in advance, super Ask.MeFi people!

posted by DoctorFedora to Grab Bag (5 answers total)

Best answer: The verse is in E and the chorus is in C# minor.

The chords sound like this to me:

VERSE
A      B      C#m
A      B      E
G#m    C#     G#m     E
B      C#m B  F#
A      B      C#m
A      B      E
G#m    C#     G#m     E
E      B      C#
 
CHORUS
C#m    G#m/B  G#m     F#
C#m    G#m/B  F#
C#m    G#m/B  G#m     F#
C#m    G#m/B  F#/A#   A  B

posted by dfan at 7:33 AM on May 27, 2011 [2 favorites]

The melody does modulate, though - there’s an A sharp at the beginning of the third line. I know nothing about ThumbJam, but if you're limited to one mode/scale, that might make it a little awkward.
posted by monkey closet at 7:40 AM on May 27, 2011

Looks like dfan is right on target.
posted by Slurgi at 7:43 AM on May 27, 2011

The melody has all sorts of chromaticism and little modal shifts in it. It doesn't stick to one scale.
posted by unSane at 8:30 AM on May 27, 2011

During the verse it flirts with the Lydian mode based on that A sharp mentioned by monkey closet.
posted by fantasticninety at 9:20 PM on May 27, 2011