Long Train Running in E Minor

[Depth_Charge]

I'm not sure what the recorded key for this song is, but I've always played it "in G" (i.e the first note I play is a G and the verse riff runs around a G etc etc, the home is G to me ear etc).

I recently played with a group that play tuned in Eb instead of standard, and come time to play Long Train they tell me they do it in E minor. In front of a paying audience, a minute before we start. No problem, boss!

There was a fair lot dissonance as I danced around the chorus trying to find the right notes, plam muting most notes to at least keep some rythm pumping. The guitarist turns to me at one point to show me his position, and he is playing the 7th fret of the A string (Eb in that tuning of course), which I'd never seen before on this song.

I'm going to have a go at transposing it this week, but if anyone's got any hints to get me started, I'm all ears - At the time I figured E to G to be 2 steps down and was trying to play that, but I think theres some theory knowledge lacking there

At any rate its extremely embarrassing to take a song I usually nail (by rote memorisation, I admit) without thinking about it, and kill it dead in front of a paying crowd! ! !

[elgecko]

I would've thought of it as Eb minor 12 bar blues with a flat 6/5/1 turnaround (provided you didn't downtune...if you did then E minor).

[Raynier]

E minor can also be Seen as Gmaj

[DWBass]

I've always played it in Em.

[DERECOLA]

We play it in G

[Russell L]

Em is the relative minor to G. That is, both have only one sharp in the keysignature. I've been playing the song in Em. If those guys are tuned down a half-step, then the sound would be Ebm, but on the fretboard it would still look like Em. If you aren't tuned down, you will have to play in Ebm.

[JimK]

The recording is in Gm.

That opening chord is a Gm7 (barred at the 10th fret).
The turnaround ("Without love...") is Eb-D-D
A couple of Porter's bass runs include Bb...

[Russell L]

Originally Posted by JimK

The recording is in Gm.

That opening chord is a Gm7 (barred at the 10th fret).
The turnaround ("Without love...") is Eb-D-D
A couple of Porter's bass runs include Bb...

I'll be dawg, I never noticed what the recording was in. Always went by what the singer wanted.

[DWBass]

Originally Posted by Russell L

I'll be dawg, I never noticed what the recording was in. Always went by what the singer wanted.

Same here. It's always been a guitarist who started the song off and just about every one of them started it in E! Go figure. This is mostly at open jams and whatnot! No band I've ever been in played this tune. Not exactly an R&B or Funk tune!

Well.....it is a little r&b-ish........

[JimK]

I agree that it is R&B-ish...

[viper4000]

Originally Posted by JimK

The recording is in Gm.

That opening chord is a Gm7 (barred at the 10th fret).
The turnaround ("Without love...") is Eb-D-D
A couple of Porter's bass runs include Bb...

This^^

[silky smoove]

Originally Posted by JimK

That opening chord is a Gm7 (barred at the 10th fret).

That's how I've always played it.

[JimK]

Originally Posted by DWBass

Same here. It's always been a guitarist who started the song off and just about every one of them started it in E! Go figure. This is mostly at open jams and whatnot!

Are you sure they're not playing "China Grove"?

No band I've ever been in played this tune.

I learned "Long Train Running" in '74 or '75...my HS garage band did this. Most Top-40 bands around here did this (even the horn bands that sepcialized in R&B). This tune is always played whenever I get together with thos old friends from HS...back then, I was extremely anal about learning the part just like the recording. This tune is part of my DNA.

[Bassamatic]

It's a great song and people like it when we play it, like most of the Doobies' stuff! Gm for us.

[Craig_S]

Originally Posted by Bassamatic

Gm for us.

+1 It's in Gm.

[JimmyM]

Anyone who is against reading music and knowing theory, this is a good thread for you to read

[Russell L]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

Anyone who is against reading music and knowing theory, this is a good thread for you to read

Yep.

[cheezewiz]

Played in Em here.

[Muttleybass]

Took it off the recording & checked the tab. I've always played it in Gm7. Eb & D for the turn around.

[jumbodbassman]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

Anyone who is against reading music and knowing theory, this is a good thread for you to read

+1. especially the theory part

I have done it in both. Sounds sh#tty in E but easier to sing.