Layla which key

JonR Member. Messages 15, Point to be made: Music does not have to stay in a single key throughout. Even in the Common Practice Period, where the concept of music "in a key" began, there are extremely few pieces that never modulate.

Almost every single piece of music since the mids through the mids begins in one key, modulates to another, and returns to the original key, with extremely rare exception and those exceptions are usually in the case of a piece being a segue into another piece - still it has at least two keys. Even though these pieces use at least two keys, we still say the key is the "main" or "primary" key.

It's the one that appears first and last, or "the most". Again, with extremely rare exception, CPP pieces begin and end on the primary key. Popular music is often no different, but songwriters have not felt the need to follow the "classical" prescription of beginning and ending on the same key. In fact, some pieces are only in a single key far too many, which causes these sorts of oversimplifications. And another hugely important thing that many do not understand unfortunately : much music is not in a key at all.

When pieces are in multiple keys, and we want to talk about any "primary" key, we have to find something that's just that, one that happens more frequently or has more "musical weight", one that is used for the chorus, etc. In the case of Layla, if I had to pick a single key, I'd say it's "in Dm".

From a practical standpoint, that's what I'd want others to tell me if we were going to gig it and I wanted to make sure it's in the same key as on the recording though it's mis-tuned on the recording. Bluesful Silver Supporting Member. Messages 42, JonR said:. You're not missing anything. The chorus riff is in D minor, and the verse is E major beginning on C m, but resolving to E major in the end. And the coda is in C major. It gets to C m by going up a half-step from the C of the Dm riff.

Then back to Dm, via an A chord at the end of the chorus on "Lay And E-A-D is a 4ths root move, so very natural. The C-C m move is a bit stranger C major has no natural relationship to C m , but works because the C note as "B " is the leading tone to C , and the E note is a shared tone between both chords. Steve Hotra Silver Supporting Member. What'll you do when you get lonely? And nobody's waiting by your side? You've been running and hiding much too long.

You know it's just your foolish pride. Layla, You've got me on my knees, Layla. I'm begging, darling please, Layla. Darling won't you ease my worried mind. I tried to give you consolation When your old man had let you down. Like a fool, I fell in love with you. Terrific fun! Preparing for a blues festival next Easter in Queensland Australia.

Love your lessons and your book. Keep up the encouraging work. We all appreciate your efforts and talent. Desi, I bought the books after I saw you on live with Steve Krenz one night. I think they are great and I just ordered a second copy for my son. Desi Serna chords , modes Blog , Chords 3. Modal Mixture Madness Modal mixture, also known as modal interchange, is a composition technique that mixes notes and chords from parallel scales, for example, E major scale and E Mixolydian scale.