New topic
Printable| Author | Message |
Best Prince songs in each key Call it a musician's thread if u will, but here are my choices...
C major....I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man C minor....Gett Off C# major...The Ladder C# minor...4 The Tears In Your Eyes D major....Open Book D minor....Sexy Dancer Eb major...Still Would Stand All Time Eb minor...Letitgo E major....Arboretum E minor....She's Always In My Hair F major....The Beautiful Ones F minor....Joy In Repetition F# major...Let's Go Crazy F# minor...I Hate U G major....She Loves Me 4 Me G minor....Thieves In The Temple Ab major...The Grand Progression Ab minor...I Wanna Be Your Lover A major....The Holy River A minor....When Doves Cry Bb major...Purple Rain Bb minor...If I Was Your Girlfriend B major....Endorphinmachine B minor....The Question Of U Don't hate me 'cause I'm NOT beautiful | |
- E-mail - orgNote -  Report post to moderator |
Call it a no-responses thread if u will! 
...very interesting though! You figured out all those keys yourself? | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
That's a really good list. It's always interested me in how songs fit in certain keys but not others.
Prince uses Bb for almost all his funk songs. I've never learned any other artist's funk and I wonder if they use it, too or if that's just Prince. Sometimes, he seems to get enamored of certain keys, like he did with Db on ATWIAD. Good thread. | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
calldapplwondery83 said: Call it a no-responses thread if u will!
...very interesting though! You figured out all those keys yourself? Yeah, pretty much Don't hate me 'cause I'm NOT beautiful | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
what are keys? | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
beret1022 said: what are keys?
The determination of what notes in the scale are natural, sharp or flat. If you know what key a song is in, then you know what notes are in that scale, and form that you know what chords are likely to be used. | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
paisley2002 said: Call it a musician's thread if u will, but here are my choices...
C major....I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man C minor....Gett Off C# major...The Ladder C# minor...4 The Tears In Your Eyes D major....Open Book D minor....Sexy Dancer Eb major...Still Would Stand All Time Eb minor...Letitgo E major....Arboretum E minor....She's Always In My Hair F major....The Beautiful Ones F minor....Joy In Repetition F# major...Let's Go Crazy F# minor...I Hate U G major....She Loves Me 4 Me G minor....Thieves In The Temple Ab major...The Grand Progression Ab minor...I Wanna Be Your Lover A major....The Holy River A minor....When Doves Cry Bb major...Purple Rain Bb minor...If I Was Your Girlfriend B major....Endorphinmachine B minor....The Question Of U I'd make a few changes: C minor: "Sign 'O' The Times" D minor: "Strange Relationship" (as on One Nite Alone...Live!) G minor: "Power Fantastic" (without a doubt) ... maybe "17 Days" Oh, and I've never heard "4 The Tears In Ur Eyes" in C# minor. On "The Hits/The B-sides," it is in D minor. | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
It does make you wonder if a musician as good as Prince chooses keys for more reason than it suits his voice (That's the only reason I choose any keys). He's got such a range that he's not as limited by his voice as other singer/songwriters.
There was an album, maybe it was Emancipation (I forget, but with the pyramid analogy I analyzed that one to death), but I was analyzing the keys and how one song led to another. It seems there was some kind of sequence/relationship. Nigel Tufnel said d minor is the saddest key. Check this song out at:
http://www.soundclick.com...tmusic.htm | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
Can anyone tell me which chords are used in a d minor (or whatever minor key) progression? I mean which are minors or majors or whatever. | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
I believe that "Wally" was the only song that Prince used the key of H-flat-minor. If prince.org were to be made idiot proof, someone would just invent a better idiot. | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
Ice9sFine said: G minor: "Power Fantastic" (without a doubt) ... Though there's a reference to G minor in this song, the song's in F major...G minor works in it, though, but as the second. Not the root. | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
squirrelgrease said: I believe that "Wally" was the only song that Prince used the key of H-flat-minor.
Well, if we were in Germany, H would be B-natural, so I guess that's possible. But, then, H-flat = B-flat = B (in European notation). Oh how confusing! | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
A Major: Raspberry Beret | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
ThreadBare said: Ice9sFine said: G minor: "Power Fantastic" (without a doubt) ... Though there's a reference to G minor in this song, the song's in F major...G minor works in it, though, but as the second. Not the root. Well, if you wanted to get technical, the song is really in G Dorian, which is, key signature-wise, the same as F major, but is more closely related to G minor than F major. For example, you wouldn't say "Oye Como Va," which is in A Dorian, is in the key of G major, would you? And to add to the confusion, the vocal line is kinda sung in B-flat major. Really, we could start an entire thread on Prince songs in which his singing implies a different key than the one in which the song is written or played. A few examples: - "Sign 'O' The Times" has a bass line that is mostly C minor, but Prince sings the verses in C Mixolydian. - "17 Days" is in G minor, but the vocal lines imply B-flat major and even F major over that. - "Hello" (and many other Prince songs, for that matter) seems to simultaneously function as a song in B-flat major and B-flat minor. - "7" (and yet many more songs) has a bass line that vamps over the phrase: "A...E G E G E A...E G E G E," and yet Prince's vocals will sing an E7 chord over the same line. Usually, the G-natural in the bass and G-sharp in the voice would clash, but it works. Leave it to a genius like Prince to come up with those crazy sonic combinations that work like a dream. | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
Ice9sFine said: ThreadBare said: Though there's a reference to G minor in this song, the song's in F major...G minor works in it, though, but as the second. Not the root. Well, if you wanted to get technical, the song is really in G Dorian, which is, key signature-wise, the same as F major, but is more closely related to G minor than F major. For example, you wouldn't say "Oye Como Va," which is in A Dorian, is in the key of G major, would you? And to add to the confusion, the vocal line is kinda sung in B-flat major. Really, we could start an entire thread on Prince songs in which his singing implies a different key than the one in which the song is written or played. A few examples: - "Sign 'O' The Times" has a bass line that is mostly C minor, but Prince sings the verses in C Mixolydian. - "17 Days" is in G minor, but the vocal lines imply B-flat major and even F major over that. - "Hello" (and many other Prince songs, for that matter) seems to simultaneously function as a song in B-flat major and B-flat minor. - "7" (and yet many more songs) has a bass line that vamps over the phrase: "A...E G E G E A...E G E G E," and yet Prince's vocals will sing an E7 chord over the same line. Usually, the G-natural in the bass and G-sharp in the voice would clash, but it works. Leave it to a genius like Prince to come up with those crazy sonic combinations that work like a dream. Maestro! | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
ThreadBare said: Ice9sFine said: Well, if you wanted to get technical, the song is really in G Dorian, which is, key signature-wise, the same as F major, but is more closely related to G minor than F major. For example, you wouldn't say "Oye Como Va," which is in A Dorian, is in the key of G major, would you? And to add to the confusion, the vocal line is kinda sung in B-flat major. Really, we could start an entire thread on Prince songs in which his singing implies a different key than the one in which the song is written or played. A few examples: - "Sign 'O' The Times" has a bass line that is mostly C minor, but Prince sings the verses in C Mixolydian. - "17 Days" is in G minor, but the vocal lines imply B-flat major and even F major over that. - "Hello" (and many other Prince songs, for that matter) seems to simultaneously function as a song in B-flat major and B-flat minor. - "7" (and yet many more songs) has a bass line that vamps over the phrase: "A...E G E G E A...E G E G E," and yet Prince's vocals will sing an E7 chord over the same line. Usually, the G-natural in the bass and G-sharp in the voice would clash, but it works. Leave it to a genius like Prince to come up with those crazy sonic combinations that work like a dream. Maestro! Thanks. I sure do enjoy Prince, is all I can say.
Anybody know if Prince is holding auditions? I'd love to play in his band! Piano, guitar, bass, violin, sing backups, hell, even a bit of accordion. I really get a kick out of his music. I doubt I could give Renato a run for his money yet, but I'll try. Shit, I'd be the NPG janitor. Or the NPG lick-the-sweat-off-of-Prince's-guitar-and-face guy. Whichever pays more. | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
Ice9sFine said: ThreadBare said: Though there's a reference to G minor in this song, the song's in F major...G minor works in it, though, but as the second. Not the root. Well, if you wanted to get technical, the song is really in G Dorian, which is, key signature-wise, the same as F major, but is more closely related to G minor than F major. For example, you wouldn't say "Oye Como Va," which is in A Dorian, is in the key of G major, would you? And to add to the confusion, the vocal line is kinda sung in B-flat major. Really, we could start an entire thread on Prince songs in which his singing implies a different key than the one in which the song is written or played. A few examples: - "Sign 'O' The Times" has a bass line that is mostly C minor, but Prince sings the verses in C Mixolydian. - "17 Days" is in G minor, but the vocal lines imply B-flat major and even F major over that. - "Hello" (and many other Prince songs, for that matter) seems to simultaneously function as a song in B-flat major and B-flat minor. - "7" (and yet many more songs) has a bass line that vamps over the phrase: "A...E G E G E A...E G E G E," and yet Prince's vocals will sing an E7 chord over the same line. Usually, the G-natural in the bass and G-sharp in the voice would clash, but it works. Leave it to a genius like Prince to come up with those crazy sonic combinations that work like a dream. Do you have other examples? This stuff is fascinating. | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
Ice9sFine said: ThreadBare said: Though there's a reference to G minor in this song, the song's in F major...G minor works in it, though, but as the second. Not the root. Well, if you wanted to get technical, the song is really in G Dorian, which is, key signature-wise, the same as F major, but is more closely related to G minor than F major. For example, you wouldn't say "Oye Como Va," which is in A Dorian, is in the key of G major, would you? And to add to the confusion, the vocal line is kinda sung in B-flat major. Really, we could start an entire thread on Prince songs in which his singing implies a different key than the one in which the song is written or played. A few examples: - "Sign 'O' The Times" has a bass line that is mostly C minor, but Prince sings the verses in C Mixolydian. - "17 Days" is in G minor, but the vocal lines imply B-flat major and even F major over that. - "Hello" (and many other Prince songs, for that matter) seems to simultaneously function as a song in B-flat major and B-flat minor. - "7" (and yet many more songs) has a bass line that vamps over the phrase: "A...E G E G E A...E G E G E," and yet Prince's vocals will sing an E7 chord over the same line. Usually, the G-natural in the bass and G-sharp in the voice would clash, but it works. Leave it to a genius like Prince to come up with those crazy sonic combinations that work like a dream. "Welllll... Look at the big brain on Brad!" 
 [Edited 8/27/05 17:35pm] If prince.org were to be made idiot proof, someone would just invent a better idiot. | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
Ice9sFine said: "Sign 'O' The Times" has a bass line that is mostly C minor, but Prince sings the verses in C Mixolydian.
I disagree. "Sign O The Times" is C Dorian, plain and simple. During the verses ("in France a skinny man..." etc) Prince only sings the upper half of the scale. The upper half of a Mixolydian and a Dorian scale (Perf 4th, Perf 5th, Maj 6th, flat 7th, octave) are the same. The bass line is definately C minor, no doubt. From memory (correct me if I'm wrong) you never hear a flat 6th or a maj 3rd. Therefor the song is definately C Dorian. The only difference between Dorian and Mixolydian is the maj/min 3rd. RodeoSchro said: Prince uses Bb for almost all his funk songs. I've never learned any other artist's funk and I wonder if they use it, too or if that's just Prince?
Bb is a fairly common key especially when horns are involved. Most primary school band music is in Bb. It transposes nicely into easy keys for wind instruments. As for funk, it's certainly not used as often as E, A, D, G which are the easiest keys for bass guitarists. Great thread by the way!! I love me some music theory! Toejam @ Peach & Black Podcast: http://peachandblack.podbean.com
Toejam's band "Cheap Fakes": http://cheapfakes.com.au, http://www.facebook.com/cheapfakes Toejam the solo artist: http://www.youtube.com/scottbignell | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
toejam said: Ice9sFine said: "Sign 'O' The Times" has a bass line that is mostly C minor, but Prince sings the verses in C Mixolydian.
I disagree. "Sign O The Times" is C Dorian, plain and simple. During the verses ("in France a skinny man..." etc) Prince only sings the upper half of the scale. The upper half of a Mixolydian and a Dorian scale (Perf 4th, Perf 5th, Maj 6th, flat 7th, octave) are the same. The bass line is definately C minor, no doubt. From memory (correct me if I'm wrong) you never hear a flat 6th or a maj 3rd. Therefor the song is definately C Dorian. The only difference between Dorian and Mixolydian is the maj/min 3rd. RodeoSchro said: Prince uses Bb for almost all his funk songs. I've never learned any other artist's funk and I wonder if they use it, too or if that's just Prince?
Bb is a fairly common key especially when horns are involved. Most primary school band music is in Bb. It transposes nicely into easy keys for wind instruments. As for funk, it's certainly not used as often as E, A, D, G which are the easiest keys for bass guitarists. Great thread by the way!! I love me some music theory! Well, if you listen very carefully (it may be just my ears inventing this), during the first line of the song ("In France a skinny man died of a big disease with a little name") Prince hits the E-natural on the second syllable of the word "little," real quick. Really, that juxtaposition of the maj/min 3rd is a bluesy thing that Prince does a lot. Oh yeah, and the flat sixth does come up in the bridge section. By that time it's definitely gone to C minor. [Edited 8/27/05 19:51pm] | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
this might turn into my favorite thread on prince.org.
(if only i knew music theory!) it's certainly much better than the prince's underwear type of thread. music, music, music is the reason why he will endure, no other reason but that.  
Some people tell me I've got great legs... | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
Ice9sFine said: Well, if you listen very carefully (it may be just my ears inventing this), during the first line of the song ("In France a skinny man died of a big disease with a little name") Prince hits the E-natural on the second syllable of the word "little," real quick. Really, that juxtaposition of the maj/min 3rd is a bluesy thing that Prince does a lot.
Oh yeah, and the flat sixth does come up in the bridge section. By that time it's definitely gone to C minor. [Edited 8/27/05 19:51pm] I hear the second syllable of "little" as being an F natural (the 4th, not the 3rd) but I'll have to check that out. Anyway, I know if I were improvising over this, I'd be sticking to C Dorian. But like you said, with blues/funk/rnb you can play around with maj/min 3rds and it works anyway! Toejam @ Peach & Black Podcast: http://peachandblack.podbean.com
Toejam's band "Cheap Fakes": http://cheapfakes.com.au, http://www.facebook.com/cheapfakes Toejam the solo artist: http://www.youtube.com/scottbignell | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
|
Man!
I need to find some time to get into a music theory classroom!!! But, this is great! As was already said, truly fascinating! I envy you all, that can read and dissect the music. I play a little music, but i write it down in a way that probably noone else would follow! Nice to finally read a thread about the MUSIC
don't let it die!!! Schöne Grüße  "Whatever skin we're in
we all need 2 b friends" |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
I don't understand how people can hear such things as what note exactly the "little" in SOTT is. You are crazy.
BTW, would be nice to see this involve in the same kind of flame-fest that usually goes on when Prince's women are the topic. Go on! | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
nayroo2002 said: Man!
I need to find some time to get into a music theory classroom!!! But, this is great! As was already said, truly fascinating! I envy you all, that can read and dissect the music. I play a little music, but i write it down in a way that probably noone else would follow! Nice to finally read a thread about the MUSIC
don't let it die!!! Schöne Grüße I appreciate the comments. True, reading and knowing the theory really helps. I've always been an ear player, but I learned the theory behind what I was doing and it has been so much easier ever since. The fact is, when you really LOVE music, they theory and the ear just kind of meld, and before you know it, the instrument is an extension of you. It's a really great feeling. I absolutely adore Prince's music. It has always been and proabably will always be a fantasy of mine to jam with him. But, I dunno. Something tells me an artist of Prince's caliber wouldn't want to hire an eighteen-year-old MIT student to play in his band. But there's always wishing... | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
Gee, I should start more threads like this! Don't hate me 'cause I'm NOT beautiful | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
Ice9sFine said: ThreadBare said: Though there's a reference to G minor in this song, the song's in F major...G minor works in it, though, but as the second. Not the root. Well, if you wanted to get technical, the song is really in G Dorian, which is, key signature-wise, the same as F major, but is more closely related to G minor than F major. For example, you wouldn't say "Oye Como Va," which is in A Dorian, is in the key of G major, would you? And to add to the confusion, the vocal line is kinda sung in B-flat major. Really, we could start an entire thread on Prince songs in which his singing implies a different key than the one in which the song is written or played. A few examples: - "Sign 'O' The Times" has a bass line that is mostly C minor, but Prince sings the verses in C Mixolydian. - "17 Days" is in G minor, but the vocal lines imply B-flat major and even F major over that. - "Hello" (and many other Prince songs, for that matter) seems to simultaneously function as a song in B-flat major and B-flat minor. - "7" (and yet many more songs) has a bass line that vamps over the phrase: "A...E G E G E A...E G E G E," and yet Prince's vocals will sing an E7 chord over the same line. Usually, the G-natural in the bass and G-sharp in the voice would clash, but it works. Leave it to a genius like Prince to come up with those crazy sonic combinations that work like a dream. Your post ought to be slapped on the Forum page as a sticky note that answers the question, "Why do you think Prince is a genius?" Well done. | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
I LOVE THIS KIND OF TOPIC.....
R u sure about SOTT? It seems a Pentatonic of Dmin.....Percussion r played using a Pentatonic scale..... toejam said: Ice9sFine said: "Sign 'O' The Times" has a bass line that is mostly C minor, but Prince sings the verses in C Mixolydian.
I disagree. "Sign O The Times" is C Dorian, plain and simple. During the verses ("in France a skinny man..." etc) Prince only sings the upper half of the scale. The upper half of a Mixolydian and a Dorian scale (Perf 4th, Perf 5th, Maj 6th, flat 7th, octave) are the same. The bass line is definately C minor, no doubt. From memory (correct me if I'm wrong) you never hear a flat 6th or a maj 3rd. Therefor the song is definately C Dorian. The only difference between Dorian and Mixolydian is the maj/min 3rd. RodeoSchro said: Prince uses Bb for almost all his funk songs. I've never learned any other artist's funk and I wonder if they use it, too or if that's just Prince?
Bb is a fairly common key especially when horns are involved. Most primary school band music is in Bb. It transposes nicely into easy keys for wind instruments. As for funk, it's certainly not used as often as E, A, D, G which are the easiest keys for bass guitarists. Great thread by the way!! I love me some music theory! | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
**** I've started 2 play without knowing a note....Now Im studying music theory.....Its not the main thing about playing but it helps....
Do u feel a tripping sensation when u communicate playing and improvising? I feel piano and guitar and extension of myself.....Instruments r part of me..... I appreciate the comments. True, reading and knowing the theory really helps. I've always been an ear player, but I learned the theory behind what I was doing and it has been so much easier ever since. The fact is, when you really LOVE music, they theory and the ear just kind of meld, and before you know it, the instrument is an extension of you. It's a really great feeling. I absolutely adore Prince's music. It has always been and proabably will always be a fantasy of mine to jam with him. But, I dunno. Something tells me an artist of Prince's caliber wouldn't want to hire an eighteen-year-old MIT student to play in his band. But there's always wishing...[/quote] | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
Do you guys think that Prince knows all this?
Somehow I doubt that he's thinking "wouldn't it be cool if i sing the verses in C Mixolydian?". I read somewhere that he never properly learned to read/write music. | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |