Ever Play a Song in the Complete Wrong Key?

Baird6869 · #1 12-03-2007, 08:41 PM

My guitard started a tune at a gig this past weekend in E instead of G. It is an easy 3 chord tune, so it is easy to start it off wrong.

Anyways, the funny and painful part was that I knew we were on a collision course with disaster as the first bridge is extremely hard to play in E.

We laughed it off, but it was a pretty uncomfortable couple of minutes knowing that you were going to trainwreck at the bridge. Strange feeling that I haven't had in a couple of decades!

Funny how we pull off very complicated Zeppelin, RHCP and Stevie Wonder tunes without a hitch and screw up a stupid 3 chord one!

We are rebooked at more money... so that is all that matters!

fenderhutz · #2 12-03-2007, 08:42 PM

Knocking on heavens door?
Take the money and run?

doctorjazz · #3 12-03-2007, 08:45 PM

While jamming with friends I've played All Blues in probably just about every key, just for kicks.

capnsandwich · #4 12-03-2007, 08:54 PM

One time at church I was supposed to start a song and I forgot that the worship leader had changed the key of the song from C to D so that the guitar player/singer could play it since she didn't have a capo. I went ahead and started in C and instead of just going with it she stopped the song and told me to restart it. I know it was my fault but anyone else would have just gone with it. I felt pretty dumb but was a little angry that she did that. It sounded dumb!!!

Gasman · #5 12-03-2007, 08:54 PM

You play the bass. You can't play the wrong key. Only the guitar player can play the wrong key. You are the key.

Vic Winters · #6 12-03-2007, 09:23 PM

In fact, you are the Key Master! But are they the Gate Keeper?

BigOleBoogie · #7 12-03-2007, 09:32 PM

Oh, completely smashed out of my brain box I started Low Rider a 1/2 step too low at a back yard party.

That would be considered playing the song in the wrong key.

capnsandwich · #8 12-03-2007, 10:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gasman

You play the bass. You can't play the wrong key. Only the guitar player can play the wrong key. You are the key.

Actually, the sheet music is the key. If you play it in the wrong key it's because you're not reading. That's how I get in trouble. I never read music in church. I go by ear and whatever the worship leader tells me.

mrokern · #9 12-03-2007, 11:02 PM

Just messed one tonight at rehearsal...we've been trying a piece a half-step down from written, and I had the new fiver...with all the fun of adapting it for 5 strings, I forgot that I normally used to tune down an extra half step on the 4 string as well. Made for an interesting first verse until I did a mental forehead smack.

-Mark

seanm · #10 12-03-2007, 11:47 PM

It wasn't a live gig, but I played a song off by a fifth. It was *almost* working, which was what threw me off.

WeeMann · #11 12-04-2007, 06:40 AM

The guitard in my old band was dead against rehearsals, preferring to just do songs on the fly. This was fine for the most part, but there were some songs that he regularly started in the wrong key so I had to check out his hand position before I came in. The worst I remember was Bad Company's Feel Like Makin' Love - he turned away from me as he started so the first couple of bars were spent chasing the key.

Actually, worse than that was the night he got so drunk he couldn't tune gis guitar properly. When we went into the acoustic set it became apparent that he hadn't even attempted to tune his acoustic guitar and it was a step and a half up from our usual tuning...I re-tuned very quickly and all was fine until we approached the first chorus and I suddenly realised that the high harmonies I normally supplied were now out of my range. I got out of it by doubling the lead vocal line, which turned out to be a good idea as he had, by now, wrecked his voice.

Depth_Charge · #12 12-04-2007, 06:48 AM

I can't remember whether I have played a song in the wrong key, probably have

At a recent audition I started playing "When I Come Around" in the same key as the recording is in (starting the hook riff on the F#) and the guitarist stops and says "Naah, thats too low, play it a step (not half step) higher at least, I'm sure it's higher than you're playing". The singer agreed.

I did, and messed a few parts up due to the on the fly change, but then to prove their point they put the recording on, and we all played to it and I sounded right on the money and they were too high.

We had a laugh, and I got invited to join, so it's all good.

CallMeBlind · #13 12-04-2007, 06:56 AM

I once started to play Nils Landgren's "Funk Da World" one step up, because I switched from Fender to Spector and Spector has longer neck, I just put my left hand where it usually was on Fender

Sax player noticed it and told me, so I switched to the normal key, no one in audience noticed anything, as usually

Baird6869 · #14 12-04-2007, 08:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by capnsandwich

Actually, the sheet music is the key. If you play it in the wrong key it's because you're not reading. That's how I get in trouble. I never read music in church. I go by ear and whatever the worship leader tells me.

Sorry, I can't use sheet music at a rock gig in a bar. Church, yes... rock gig, no.

I use a setlist as a cheat sheet with key info and a few weird changes written down, but to show up with a music stand and sheet music at this type of gig would not go over well.

Conceptually it is a good idea, but the thought of having to move a music stand out of the way before it gets knocked over when the dance floor gets busy is something I wont be dealing with any time soon.

BTW, the entire band reads just fine. I guess the fact that we play 45 different songs and two of them are similar but in different keys confused the guitarist. I knew the song in question was in G (I wrote this info on my setlist) but the bass doesn't come un for 8 bars. Too late for me to do much after the song has been rolling along in E for almost 20 seconds.

Deacon_Blues · #15 12-04-2007, 11:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CallMeBlind

I once started to play Nils Landgren's "Funk Da World" one step up,

Great song!

Never heard anyone covering that one before.

My brother who has perfect pitch has for some reason always had a hard time remembering the key of the songs. I would probably not mind very much if I only was the bassist, but being the singer when one starts in the wrong key is terrible. There have been times he has started a song a fifth too high or low. Then it's best to just start over in the right key....

capnsandwich · #16 12-04-2007, 11:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Baird6869

Sorry, I can't use sheet music at a rock gig in a bar. Church, yes... rock gig, no.

I use a setlist as a cheat sheet with key info and a few weird changes written down, but to show up with a music stand and sheet music at this type of gig would not go over well.

Conceptually it is a good idea, but the thought of having to move a music stand out of the way before it gets knocked over when the dance floor gets busy is something I wont be dealing with any time soon.

BTW, the entire band reads just fine. I guess the fact that we play 45 different songs and two of them are similar but in different keys confused the guitarist. I knew the song in question was in G (I wrote this info on my setlist) but the bass doesn't come un for 8 bars. Too late for me to do much after the song has been rolling along in E for almost 20 seconds.

Yeah, I'm with you. I was just referring to gasman's comment. I'd give you a raised eyebrow if I saw you grab a music stand and try to sight read at a bar gig. You'd be a nerd.

stedtale · #17 12-04-2007, 12:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vic Winters

In fact, you are the Key Master! But are they the Gate Keeper?

"Gozer the Traveler. He will come in one of the pre-chosen forms. During the rectification of the Vuldrini, the traveler came as a large and moving Torg! Then, during the third reconciliation of the last of the McKetrick supplicants, they chose a new form for him: that of a giant Slor! Many Shuvs and Zuuls knew what it was to be roasted in the depths of the Slor that day, I can tell you!"

I haven't done that (starting in the wrong key) for a while. But what a fun thing to watch now when someone else in the group does.

capnsandwich · #18 12-04-2007, 12:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stedtale

"Gozer the Traveler. He will come in one of the pre-chosen forms. During the rectification of the Vuldrini, the traveler came as a large and moving Torg! Then, during the third reconciliation of the last of the McKetrick supplicants, they chose a new form for him: that of a giant Slor! Many Shuvs and Zuuls knew what it was to be roasted in the depths of the Slor that day, I can tell you!"

I haven't done that (starting in the wrong key) for a while. But what a fun thing to watch now when someone else in the group does.

Movie geek!!!

mjolnir · #19 12-04-2007, 12:22 PM

I've done that once or twice. In one of the bands I'm in we have a song we play regularly in the middle of our set that is just lead vocals and my vocals at the beginning, and occasionally I'll miss the pitch and BAM! I'm in like an augmented 4th or something from where I'm supposed to be.

Luckily the guitard (lead vocalist) and myself have a routine we do in case this happens:

He stops the song and asks if I'm hearing it right, I make a comment about hearing Jingle Bells ringing through my ears or something, then I start wiggling my finger through my ear in search of a ball of earwax that isn't there. Then when it's clear I'm having trouble he walks over and starts yanking my head around trying to get at it until I pop up with a raquet ball and go "Whew! There!" Makes for a nice slapstick routine, people ask us if we plan for that ahead of time.

Manndreas · #20 12-05-2007, 07:21 PM

Was at a jam session once where some guys needed a bassist for Come Together, since I knew the song (who doesn't?) I quickly borrowed a bass and went on stage. But the owner forgot to tell me his band tunes down a full step

And because of bad on-stage sound and beer I didn't notice it before the very end of the song... Oh well. Since the guitarist was younger than me and a less experienced musician I told him it was he who played it in the wrong key.