Working Out The Key From A Riff

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CellarStoners
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Aug 16, 2011 3:03 pm

Working Out The Key From A Riff

Post by CellarStoners »

Hi All,
I've come up with a riff/rhythm part that I'd like to develop, but I'm struggling to work out what key it's in. Is there a tool/method to do this?

Cheers
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weelie
Posts: 228
Joined: Wed Apr 07, 2010 10:23 am

Re: Working Out The Key From A Riff

Post by weelie »

Sure. What notes are in it? What is the "home" note(s)? Which note does it end or start with or stay most/longest at, any open strings used? Do the notes spell out a chord or scale (like mixolydian, minor pentatonic or blues scale)?
CellarStoners
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Aug 16, 2011 3:03 pm

Re: Working Out The Key From A Riff

Post by CellarStoners »

Hi weelie,
thanks for the reply. The problem is that it isn't chord based, and I've gone cross-eyed looking through all the possible scales (my knowledge of scales and their theory isn't that good yet)! I was just hoping there might be a site or something where you could feed the notes in (tab or something) and out pops the answer. I guess there's no short cut.... such is life!

Cheers
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12bar
Site Admin
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Joined: Thu Mar 25, 2010 12:05 pm

Re: Working Out The Key From A Riff

Post by 12bar »

CellarStoners wrote: I was just hoping there might be a site or something where you could feed the notes in (tab or something) and out pops the answer.
Feed the notes here and we'll pop the answer... :big_smile:
Angus
Posts: 15
Joined: Fri Mar 25, 2011 12:16 am

Re: Working Out The Key From A Riff

Post by Angus »

CellarStoners wrote:Hi All,
I've come up with a riff/rhythm part that I'd like to develop, but I'm struggling to work out what key it's in. Is there a tool/method to do this?

Cheers
What often works for me if I'm sitting watching TV with my guitar and an advert comes on with some music I want to jam along with, is I play the top e string (thinnest string) while sliding my finger down it and attempt to stop it on the root note, by ear, then endulge in some minor pentatonic abuse.

That ought to work, kind of - depending on the complexity of your riff.
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