Playing Mad World in a Major Key – IOTW Report

Playing Mad World in a Major Key

Wednesday, 29 March 2017, 3:15 BFH Uncategorized 19

Mad World, by Tears For Fears, is amongst the most somber of tunes. What happens when you play it in a major key instead?

Conversely, here is the Mr. Rogers theme song in a minor key-

19 Comments on Playing Mad World in a Major Key

  7. Major and minor keys explained:

    The notes in a major key (the key of C, for example) are primarily the same notes you would hear in a major scale starting with that same note. While everyone recognizes a major scale when they hear it, most people don’t realize that not all the notes in that scale are evenly spaced from one to the next. In a major scale, the third and fourth notes are only a half step apart, as well as the seventh and eighth notes. In a minor scale, the half steps are between the second and third notes, as well as the fifth and sixth notes. Relocating the placement of the half step intervals gives the scale, as well as the key, a more somber tone.

  8. BTW, Mr. Rogers was significantly funded by Sears. Nice guy, and I believe he did a lot of good. The theme song strangely refuses to get sad in a minor key. I wonder what percentage of us here on this site play an instrument. By the responses I’ve seen, I’m guessing there are quite a few.

  10. Boehnerdict, I bet there are as many people here who own and play an instrument as there are people own own and shoot guns. And I’d further bet that most who play, also shoot.

  11. I’ve often wondered if there is a correlation in personality types between those who prefer songs steeped in the Minor keys vs. those in the Major keys.

    I used to prefer the Major keyed songs until I went to prison.

  16. tamminator is kidding – i hope…..

    wait til you all get to the major sixth, minor seventh, minor sixth sustained…….there’s a lot more than majors and minors, it’s not baseball…..

    i’m kinda fond of C maj 7/Gbass myself…..but i prefer tuning the guitar to C or DADGAD…….

    okay, my work is done here……. 🙂

  17. Chuckie:
    Of course I’m joking. I was just trying to simplify it for those who don’t have a background in music.
    You’re taking people deep into the woods, and they have no idea what you’re talking about.

  18. I was going to try & explain major/minor keys in my “I took 5 yrs of piano lessons & played clarinet 2 yrs in band,” background ability, but I really liked TN Tuxedo’s take 100xs better.

Comments are closed.

iOTWreport.com ©2024 ----- iOTWreport is not responsible for the content of comments. All opinions in comments are solely the commenter's.