What key is this in?

Hey Taso :D

Well this is far from my specialty -

I think that E chord may be an Em.

And it would seem to be close to being in the key of E/ and Em
Strange.

I'm sorry, I don't know enough theory to say anything for sure though.
I'm sure well get a good explination soon :D

Ken

EDIT - I'm thinking that because the chords are mostly ambiguous 5th chords (Power Chords), that it is in the key of E.
He just happens to be able to borrow Em chords (Parallel Minor) to put in as well because of the Ambiguity of the 5ths -
(Neither minor or major, they are hanging in between)
???????????????
EDIT - Using the Parallel Minor and bouncing back and forth would make sense for a song titled Lithium.
By doing that, the Mood of the music bounces from being 'Sad' (with parallel minor) to being 'brightened up' (going to Major).
Though I can't really say he did stay within those confines exactly for verse/chorus, just the hint of it is probably good enough when using 5th chords.

At least this is what I'm thinking :roll:

I wish NoteBoat were here :D

I didn't actually know the song so I just had a quick listen online for you. - The chords you've written seem to be up a whole step. The one I've just listened to is in D, not E.

The heavy use of power chords allows them to slip back and forth between the major and parallel minor keys. That's why you can have D major and Bb power chords in the same key.

Whatever chords you hear in a song, listen out for the tonal centre. That's the key chord. It's the one that sounds most like the main chord and has a sense of finality about it. That's why it's almost always used as the last chord (as it is in this case).

So - the key is D and it makes use of both major and minor modes.

Edit: Apparantly his guitar is tuned down a whole step - that's why the key 'looks' like E but is actually D

I remeber reading on here about a GN member who wrote a book on guitar music theory.. who was that?

NoteBoat.

thanks for the replies everyone

Fretsource, great, thanks :)

I remeber reading on here about a GN member who wrote a book on guitar music theory.. who was that?
Fretsource wrote one as well

I just looked at some sheet music for it (I don't have the song but you can access the first page at musicnotes.com). The key signature has it in the key of E. If it is tuned down, then, of course, D.

I just looked at some sheet music for it (I don't have the song but you can access the first page at musicnotes.com). The key signature has it in the key of E. If it is tuned down, then, of course, D.

There are several versions there; the third one has a note at the top saying to tune down to DGCFAD.