We started in the wrong key! (but we fixed it)

[droo46]

So on a gig recently, we played Just the Two of Us. The original is in the key of D minor and starts with the keyboard. Our band plays this song a half step down to make it work with the medley we have it in, but unfortunately, our keyboard player started in the original key. So, for the lick I play at the beginning I play a sour note and realized pretty quickly that something was off and adjusted to D minor. A look of horror fell across the keyboard player's face as he realized his mistake, but since he's a pro, we exchanged a look, and moved down a half step at the right moment and the rest of the song went off without a hitch. I wish I had video, but here's the audio. It's a very funny moment and could have ended very poorly, but to the casual listener, nothing out of the ordinary even happened.

 

[bholder]

"Yeah, we meant to do that." hehe

 

[4SG]

nice save.

 

[getbent]

Ever seen the video of Harry Connick Jr. inserting an extra beat (or 5/4 measure) to flip the audience from clapping on 1 & 3 to 2 & 4? You'd be amazed at what you can get away with.

 

[DWBass]

Yeah.......whew!

 

[NZBassman]

it happens..... luckily I'm pretty experienced and can 'go with the flow' if the song gets started in the wrong key
once our guitarist started Long Train Running in F# instead of G - I knew it was off from the first note I played, but quickly found the key and carried on playing - albeit looking at my fret board a bit more than usual

another time many years ago singer / guitarist started the next song with his capo still on 2nd fret (not realising anything was amiss) and I was able to adapt, but the other guitarist had no idea what was going on and basically didn't / couldn't play anything - even though I told him what key the song was now being played in

 

[Killing Floor]

Saddest of all keys

 

[Ostie]

Many years ago I was playing in a band that was using a drum machine and the KB player was in charge of it. We launched into a song and realized right away that he had hit the wrong patch. It was a train wreck, but he didn’t realize his mistake, or he was too freaked out to stop, I don’t know. But it was a total train wreck and we just couldn’t stop that train from going over the cliff.

 

[bajaandy]

Modulate down! Deploy!
Sweet fix. Is that why there was a whop right after the correction?

 

[micguy]

I played in a trio once - we had a gig on a very wide, but not deep stage. The guitarist and I couldn't hear each other much at all. The first tune something sounded....off. At the end of the tune....polite applause (nowhere near raucus). Turns out the guitarist had been experimenting with tuning down half a step, and went on stage (without telling me) eith his guitar tuned a half step flat, and yeah....we sucked for that intro tune.

That band also had a singing drummer. I often played a fretless, and on one of the tunes where the drummer sang, he played slide. Neither of us was limited by frets. At rehearsal one day, we did "Redhouse" a few times, and the whole time, we were slowly moving up in tiny increments (we'd planned this little charade), trying not to let on what we were doing. Eventually, the drummer told us we should move on - his voice wasn't working well for that song (cue laughter from the other two of us).

 

[Pings Bass]

sounds like the sax player was most surprised of all... I've been there, and haven't always handled it as gracefully as you all pulled it off!

 

[Fight4Bottom]

Call it jazz and it's all good.

 

[dkelley]

So on a gig recently, we played Just the Two of Us. The original is in the key of D minor and starts with the keyboard. Our band plays this song a half step down to make it work with the medley we have it in, but unfortunately, our keyboard player started in the original key. So, for the lick I play at the beginning I play a sour note and realized pretty quickly that something was off and adjusted to D minor. A look of horror fell across the keyboard player's face as he realized his mistake, but since he's a pro, we exchanged a look, and moved down a half step at the right moment and the rest of the song went off without a hitch. I wish I had video, but here's the audio. It's a very funny moment and could have ended very poorly, but to the casual listener, nothing out of the ordinary even happened.

That's cool I love when you guys moved it down, sounds EXTRA awesome that way (like it should have been done like that).

By the way, where the heck are you? How do you get to play cool music surrounded by people while I am sitting in the basement on a laptop not allowed to even rehearse?

it's not fair LoL

 

[droo46]

That's cool I love when you guys moved it down, sounds EXTRA awesome that way (like it should have been done like that).

By the way, where the heck are you? How do you get to play cool music surrounded by people while I am sitting in the basement on a laptop not allowed to even rehearse?

it's not fair LoL

I'm in SLC, but be careful what you wish for. The venue we're playing has given up on health guidelines and it's really bad. Hardly any masks and the place is packed. Our working theory is that they're paying someone off because there is no way they should still be open with how many times they've been reported.

 

[BassCliff]

Hi,

"Just like we rehearsed it!"

Or...

"Just like the record."




Good work.


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

 

[Skip Chucker]

Ever seen the video of Harry Connick Jr. inserting an extra beat (or 5/4 measure) to flip the audience from clapping on 1 & 3 to 2 & 4? You'd be amazed at what you can get away with.

I love that the drummer throws his hands up and cheers when it happens- yet the crowd was none the wiser!

 

[dkelley]

I'm in SLC, but be careful what you wish for. The venue we're playing has given up on health guidelines and it's really bad. Hardly any masks and the place is packed. Our working theory is that they're paying someone off because there is no way they should still be open with how many times they've been reported.

eek

 

[Leonid Nidis]

That happend to me with songs that use non standard tuning.
So I was in the right key let's say F and the guitar was on E cos a capo was not used.
I changed on the fly once I understood what happened cos the guitar is on the E sweet spot playing chords that hard to transpose.

 

[Rib 13]

All players make mistakes.......the trick is to make them all sound intentional

 

[Johnny StingRay]

Nice save! Very used to adjusting on the fly due to our praise leader always forgetting to move his capo! From the excessive talking in the background, I’m pretty sure no one noticed. Good job!