Bass theory question

[HolmeBass]

The lack of sharps or flats IS a key signature as much as any of them. And a minor key uses its relative major as the key signature.

Which is why a key signature is not a key. Each key signature can represent two keys, and with accidentals even more than those two.

Key signatures are not keys.

 

[ryco]

E♭. Called "slack tuning". Great for playing along to Hendrix or SRV tunes.
Blues players like this tuning.
I keep my Ricky 4001 slack tuned for these reasons.

 

[alack]

Depends on why you’re detuning. If it’s because the guitar players are detuned but still referring to the chords they play by their standard tuning names, then you have to go along, even though you know better. Constantly correcting them will frustrate you and break their brains. Not worth it.

 

[wompwomp]

Depends on why you’re detuning. If it’s because the guitar players are detuned but still referring to the chords they play by their standard tuning names, then you have to go along, even though you know better. Constantly correcting them will frustrate you and break their brains. Not worth it.

so you're saying if it ain't baroque don't fix it

 

[DaveParker39]

You’re playing what my band (who all tuned a half step down) referred to as a “geographical E”

 

[MtManiac]

Key signatures ARE NOT the key, bro.

What is the key signature for C major?
What is the key signature for A minor?

QED

The key signature for these two keys is the one that has zero flats or sharps.

 

[MtManiac]

Which is why a key signature is not a key. Each key signature can represent two keys, and with accidentals even more than those two.

Key signatures are not keys.

The presence of accidentals does not make a key. There is no “Mixolydian” key.

Key signatures and accidentals are tools to make sight reading easier. If you’re in the key of Bb, and you come across a note on the third space up from the bottom, you know it’s an Eb, unless there’s a natural accidental making it an E for the rest of that bar.

These aren’t laws, they’re tools, but the tools are only useful if everybody using them understands how they work.

Arguing that a key signature isn’t a key seems outside the useful range of these tools.

Sure, you *can* hang drywall with framing nails, but if your buddy comes over with a screw gun and a box of drywall screws to help, and you insist he hammer it up with framing nails, he’s gonna leave. Same with me and anyone who insists a key is in “F Mixolydian”. No, that right there is the key of Bb, and that right there is an Eb with no accidental, and that right there is a Dominant pedal, and this right here is me packing up my stuff and leaving.

 

[SteveCS]

The presence of accidentals does not make a key.

Sure they can. If you see 1 flat in the signature and a whole bunch of C# (and perhaps some B natural) accidentals in the score you can be pretty confident that your key is D minor and not F major.

 

[MtManiac]

Sure they can. If you see 1 flat in the signature and a whole bunch of C# (and perhaps some B natural) accidentals in the score you can be pretty confident that your key is D minor and not F major.

I can be pretty confident that whoever scored it should probably quit their job.

Edit: I’d like to see that score.

 

[lyonaudio]

I have a regular, 4-string bass, tuned EADG.
I tune my bass down one half-step.
I play the open string on the 4th (top) string.
What note am I playing?

D minor, the sadest of al notes.

 

[SteveCS]

I can be pretty confident that whoever scored it should probably quit their job.

How else would you notate something in the key of D minor?

 

[HolmeBass]

The presence of accidentals does not make a key. There is no “Mixolydian” key.

Key signatures and accidentals are tools to make sight reading easier. If you’re in the key of Bb, and you come across a note on the third space up from the bottom, you know it’s an Eb, unless there’s a natural accidental making it an E for the rest of that bar.

These aren’t laws, they’re tools, but the tools are only useful if everybody using them understands how they work.

Arguing that a key signature isn’t a key seems outside the useful range of these tools.

Sure, you *can* hang drywall with framing nails, but if your buddy comes over with a screw gun and a box of drywall screws to help, and you insist he hammer it up with framing nails, he’s gonna leave. Same with me and anyone who insists a key is in “F Mixolydian”. No, that right there is the key of Bb, and that right there is an Eb with no accidental, and that right there is a Dominant pedal, and this right here is me packing up my stuff and leaving.

But it is the reality. Key signatures are not keys.

They key of piece of music is determined by the melody and chord changes.

 

[HolmeBass]

The key signature for these two keys is the one that has zero flats or sharps.

Correct. And my point is that each key signature can represent at least two keys.

Key signatures ARE NOT keys!

 

[HolmeBass]

I can be pretty confident that whoever scored it should probably quit their job.

Edit: I’d like to see that score.

This is exactly how D minor is represented. They key signature matches the natural minor, and accidentals are used for harmonic or melodic minor sections of the music.

 

[MtManiac]

This is exactly how D minor is represented. They key signature matches the natural minor, and accidentals are used for harmonic or melodic minor sections of the music.

Sections, yes. You’d said a “whole bunch,” not in sections. Sections are sections, not the whole score, and they don’t change the key of the whole score. Maybe I’m missing your point, but either way, like I said - keys and key signatures are tools for ease of communication. If they’re not doing that, then they’re either not being used properly, by somebody.

 

[MtManiac]

Correct. And my point is that each key signature can represent at least two keys.

Key signatures ARE NOT keys!

This is not a worthy hill for you to choose to die on. It’s very pedantic.

The relative minor is a key which shares the same key signature as its relative major. Again, if I was about to play with someone who was making this a major point of discussion, I’d leave.

 

[MtManiac]

But it is the reality. Key signatures are not keys.

They key of piece of music is determined by the melody and chord changes.

Yes. And how it is scored/notated is important for anyone reading it.

 

[HolmeBass]

Sections, yes. You’d said a “whole bunch,” not in sections. Sections are sections, not the whole score, and they don’t change the key of the whole score. Maybe I’m missing your point, but either way, like I said - keys and key signatures are tools for ease of communication. If they’re not doing that, then they’re either not being used properly, by somebody.

If the entire song used harmonic minor, there would be F#’s through the entire piece of music.

You will never see a key signature with both sharps and flats in it.

And talk about academic. The point that the key signature does not define a key was already agreed upon by you - each key signature can be at least two keys.

 

[Smooth_bass88]

OP where U at

 

[MtManiac]

How else would you notate something in the key of D minor?

With one flat, as you said.

You did not mention these accidentals occurring only in some sections of the score. If every C and B were modified with accidentals, it’s notated in the wrong key.