GangsterOnBoats Posted April 24, 2012 Share Posted April 24, 2012 Am I the only one who noticed that "Headlong Flight", "BU2B", and "Caravan" are all in the same key of E minor? I've noticed they really do like that key in their recent music and even past songs. Either it is thematic, a coincidence, or the effects of being old Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tigershark2112 Posted April 24, 2012 Share Posted April 24, 2012 E minor just rocks hard, and it's technically the lowest key you can play on a standard tuned guitar, so they wanted to be HEAVY this time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psionic11 Posted April 24, 2012 Share Posted April 24, 2012 Good catch, I noticed that right away as well. I think there are several reasons why they're favoring E minor lately: -- easy access to the root -- lots of open strings -- Geddy can hit notes that are high but not too hard to reach for him -- it's easier to make killer riffs in your "home" key -- homage to rock's home key For example, by singing in E minor, he can spend most of the time singing around the 7th, root, 2nd, and 3rd, where a lot of good melody lives. And yet he can belt out that high 5th that most of us struggle to hit but is easy enough for tenors. In HF, Alex is playing the Jimi Hendrix chord often, and with the open ringing E's, both high and low. Those fast riffs are interspersed with the heavy root note too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jesse2112 Posted April 24, 2012 Share Posted April 24, 2012 QUOTE (psionic11 @ Apr 24 2012, 10:40 AM) Good catch, I noticed that right away as well. I think there are several reasons why they're favoring E minor lately: -- easy access to the root -- lots of open strings -- Geddy can hit notes that are high but not too hard to reach for him -- it's easier to make killer riffs in your "home" key -- homage to rock's home key For example, by singing in E minor, he can spend most of the time singing around the 7th, root, 2nd, and 3rd, where a lot of good melody lives. And yet he can belt out that high 5th that most of us struggle to hit but is easy enough for tenors. In HF, Alex is playing the Jimi Hendrix chord often, and with the open ringing E's, both high and low. Those fast riffs are interspersed with the heavy root note too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bone Roller Posted April 24, 2012 Share Posted April 24, 2012 QUOTE (psionic11 @ Apr 24 2012, 09:40 AM) Good catch, I noticed that right away as well. I think there are several reasons why they're favoring E minor lately: -- easy access to the root -- lots of open strings -- Geddy can hit notes that are high but not too hard to reach for him -- it's easier to make killer riffs in your "home" key -- homage to rock's home key For example, by singing in E minor, he can spend most of the time singing around the 7th, root, 2nd, and 3rd, where a lot of good melody lives. And yet he can belt out that high 5th that most of us struggle to hit but is easy enough for tenors. In HF, Alex is playing the Jimi Hendrix chord often, and with the open ringing E's, both high and low. Those fast riffs are interspersed with the heavy root note too. i wish i knew what the hell you were talking about. sounds cool, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBob Posted April 24, 2012 Share Posted April 24, 2012 QUOTE (Bone Roller @ Apr 24 2012, 11:19 AM) QUOTE (psionic11 @ Apr 24 2012, 09:40 AM) Good catch, I noticed that right away as well. I think there are several reasons why they're favoring E minor lately: -- easy access to the root -- lots of open strings -- Geddy can hit notes that are high but not too hard to reach for him -- it's easier to make killer riffs in your "home" key -- homage to rock's home key For example, by singing in E minor, he can spend most of the time singing around the 7th, root, 2nd, and 3rd, where a lot of good melody lives. And yet he can belt out that high 5th that most of us struggle to hit but is easy enough for tenors. In HF, Alex is playing the Jimi Hendrix chord often, and with the open ringing E's, both high and low. Those fast riffs are interspersed with the heavy root note too. i wish i knew what the hell you were talking about. sounds cool, though. Same here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Presto-digitation Posted April 24, 2012 Share Posted April 24, 2012 QUOTE lots of open strings Geddy can hit notes that are high but not too hard to reach for him Bingo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GangsterOnBoats Posted April 24, 2012 Author Share Posted April 24, 2012 QUOTE (Presto-digitation @ Apr 24 2012, 11:05 AM) QUOTE lots of open strings Geddy can hit notes that are high but not too hard to reach for him Bingo Yes but then why did they drop 2112 down to D? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Checkster2112 Posted April 24, 2012 Share Posted April 24, 2012 Lots of E minor in Rush history... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
savagegrace26 Posted April 24, 2012 Share Posted April 24, 2012 Can anyone provide a list of which key every Rush song is in? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GangsterOnBoats Posted April 24, 2012 Author Share Posted April 24, 2012 QUOTE (savagegrace26 @ Apr 24 2012, 12:03 PM) Can anyone provide a list of which key every Rush song is in? That would be quite an undertaking considering many are in multiple keys, but that would be nice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wilb1972 Posted April 24, 2012 Share Posted April 24, 2012 QUOTE Lots of E minor in Rush history This is such a minor issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Presto-digitation Posted April 24, 2012 Share Posted April 24, 2012 QUOTE (GangsterOnBoats @ Apr 24 2012, 11:09 AM) QUOTE (Presto-digitation @ Apr 24 2012, 11:05 AM) QUOTE lots of open strings Geddy can hit notes that are high but not too hard to reach for him Bingo Yes but then why did they drop 2112 down to D? Because it's the saddest key of all... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GangsterOnBoats Posted April 24, 2012 Author Share Posted April 24, 2012 QUOTE (wilb1972 @ Apr 24 2012, 12:21 PM) QUOTE Lots of E minor in Rush history This is such a minor issue. That was so awful it was great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wilb1972 Posted April 24, 2012 Share Posted April 24, 2012 QUOTE That was so awful it was great Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SlyJeff Posted April 24, 2012 Share Posted April 24, 2012 I would guess this is way more about playability than singability. I think the melodies are probably fit not whatever they are playing rather than the other way aroun (especially the way HF and BU2B sound from a melody standpoint). E minor is just a great key for playing the guitar and bass, it's no surprise that a lot of songs are written in it. On a humorous, related note, as a former worship leader I can tell you that 90% of contemporary worship music is performed by using a capo so the guitar players can play in the key of G/e minor (same key) while allowing the vocalists to sing in a "real" key that is comfortable for them. Chris Tomlin is the worst about this, and yet his music was some of my favorite to do. As an act of protest, however, I tried to find different ways to voice my guitar parts so I wasn't always just playing in G/e minor- gotta keep things interesting you know! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GangsterOnBoats Posted April 24, 2012 Author Share Posted April 24, 2012 QUOTE (SlyJeff @ Apr 24 2012, 01:48 PM) I would guess this is way more about playability than singability. I think the melodies are probably fit not whatever they are playing rather than the other way aroun (especially the way HF and BU2B sound from a melody standpoint). E minor is just a great key for playing the guitar and bass, it's no surprise that a lot of songs are written in it. On a humorous, related note, as a former worship leader I can tell you that 90% of contemporary worship music is performed by using a capo so the guitar players can play in the key of G/e minor (same key) while allowing the vocalists to sing in a "real" key that is comfortable for them. Chris Tomlin is the worst about this, and yet his music was some of my favorite to do. As an act of protest, however, I tried to find different ways to voice my guitar parts so I wasn't always just playing in G/e minor- gotta keep things interesting you know! Man, I understand exactly what you mean! At my old school they would do that, which meant no skill needed at all. Capos may be great devices used properly (Tommy Emmanuel), but when using it on the fourth fret just so you can play an open G or C chord is ridiculous. Learn to play a bar chord please! Sorry about my little rant Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sathington WillOUghby Posted April 24, 2012 Share Posted April 24, 2012 QUOTE (Presto-digitation @ Apr 24 2012, 12:29 PM) QUOTE (GangsterOnBoats @ Apr 24 2012, 11:09 AM) QUOTE (Presto-digitation @ Apr 24 2012, 11:05 AM) QUOTE lots of open strings Geddy can hit notes that are high but not too hard to reach for him Bingo Yes but then why did they drop 2112 down to D? Because it's the saddest key of all... Actually, you're thinking of D.....minor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CruisingInPrimetime Posted April 24, 2012 Share Posted April 24, 2012 Maybe the whole album is in E? It'd be easier for them to make songs flow. Tom Sawyer is in E. Xanadu is in E. Spirit of Radio. 2112. Anthem. Working Man. Could be a sign of great things to come. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gilbertk Posted April 25, 2012 Share Posted April 25, 2012 Geddy likes E. He can use the root, 7th, octave pattern he likes so much. (Far Cry, Mal Nar, The Body Electric, Headlong Flight, Working Man, many many others). Not sll of those are in E, but that pattern in E rocks hard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dscrapre Posted April 25, 2012 Share Posted April 25, 2012 We all know that lots of great Rush music was written in E minor. The real question is, what key is Dog Years in? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gilbertk Posted April 25, 2012 Share Posted April 25, 2012 QUOTE (Dscrapre @ Apr 24 2012, 10:35 PM) We all know that lots of great Rush music was written in E minor. The real question is, what key is Dog Years in? B(itch) minor? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SlyJeff Posted April 25, 2012 Share Posted April 25, 2012 QUOTE (GangsterOnBoats @ Apr 24 2012, 02:11 PM) QUOTE (SlyJeff @ Apr 24 2012, 01:48 PM) I would guess this is way more about playability than singability. I think the melodies are probably fit not whatever they are playing rather than the other way aroun (especially the way HF and BU2B sound from a melody standpoint). E minor is just a great key for playing the guitar and bass, it's no surprise that a lot of songs are written in it. On a humorous, related note, as a former worship leader I can tell you that 90% of contemporary worship music is performed by using a capo so the guitar players can play in the key of G/e minor (same key) while allowing the vocalists to sing in a "real" key that is comfortable for them. Chris Tomlin is the worst about this, and yet his music was some of my favorite to do. As an act of protest, however, I tried to find different ways to voice my guitar parts so I wasn't always just playing in G/e minor- gotta keep things interesting you know! Man, I understand exactly what you mean! At my old school they would do that, which meant no skill needed at all. Capos may be great devices used properly (Tommy Emmanuel), but when using it on the fourth fret just so you can play an open G or C chord is ridiculous. Learn to play a bar chord please! Sorry about my little rant Haha- I'm with you. For worship music it's kind of understandable, though, because the point is for the song to be singable by the congregation moresoe than it is to be be interesting for the guitarists. I cut Tomilin slack for this. I'd hate to be his guitarist, though- I'd always be wanting him to try some more interesting srrangements. But really, doing that is so different from Rush writing a lot of songs I'm G/e minor. Is just a natural key in which to play the guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HowItIs Posted April 25, 2012 Share Posted April 25, 2012 QUOTE (psionic11 @ Apr 24 2012, 07:40 AM) In HF, Alex is playing the Jimi Hendrix chord often, and with the open ringing E's, both high and low. Those fast riffs are interspersed with the heavy root note too. Well, I'm not always sure what key I'm in as I play from tabs a lot (even with a score, they don't print the key for some reason). But I do note that Alex likes to play the middle strings and leave the Es open as you mention. I hadn't really paid attention to the keys of the three CA songs. Now I will.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GangsterOnBoats Posted April 25, 2012 Author Share Posted April 25, 2012 QUOTE (Dscrapre @ Apr 24 2012, 10:35 PM) We all know that lots of great Rush music was written in E minor. The real question is, what key is Dog Years in? First note is in fact E, BUT, it goes directly to F after it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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