Originally Posted by: Kasperow
Time signature: 3/4, swung 8th Notes
e|-------------------||
B|-------------------||
G|-------------------||
D|-2~~-2-4---2-4---2-||
A|-3p0-0-0---0-0---0-||
E|-------------------||
[/quote]
This is clearly rooted in A. Let's look at all the notes as scale degrees on the fretboard.
||---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||---|-5-|---|-M6|---|---|---|---|---|
1 ||---|---|-m3|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
So, you've got A as the root, the minor 3rd (C), the 5th (E), and the major 6th (F#). You are implying A Dorian.
"Implying" means you are using some of, but not all the scale degrees of a certain key or mode. In this case you are using the most characteristic degrees from the dorian mode: minor 3rd, major 6th.
So, I'd start with A dorian & see what sounds that yields.
Now, this riff does not specify which 2nd (flat or not?), 4th (sharp or not?) or 7th (major or minor?) degrees you are using. So, you might experiment with those to see what sounds best to you.
Also, the minor 3rd (C) might just be an ornamental, passing tone. In other words, you might actually like a major scale or mixolydian mode over this more than a mode with a minor 3rd. Another factor to consider & experiment with.
[QUOTE=Kasperow]
I'm not quite sure what Key it is in... I just like how it sounds.
Q Q Q Q Q E E Q E E
e|---------------|----------------||
B|---------------|----------------||
G|-4---2---------|----------------||
D|-4---2---4---2-|----------------||
A|---------4---2-|-4---4-4-2---2-2||
E|---------------|-4---4-4-2---2-2||
Q=Quarter Note
E=Eighth Note
Lots of options for the root here. So, it's best to list all the notes to see what the options are. I usually do this either low to high, or high to low. It's not a guarantee, but it usually results in the best probability of key defining notes.
High to low: B, A, G#, F#, E, C#
Low to high: F#, G#, A, B, C#, E
The most obvious choice here is either A major or F# minor (which are relative major/minor). This is because all those notes fit in either key without any accidentals or "odd notes out".
Again, fretboard to show degrees.
A major:
||---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||---|-1-|---|-2-|---|---|---|---|---|
||---|-5-|---|-M6|---|---|---|---|---|
||---|-2-|---|-M3|---|---|---|---|---|
||---|-M6|---|-M7|---|---|---|---|---|
F# minor:
||---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
||---|-m3|---|-4-|---|---|---|---|---|
||---|-m7|---|-1-|---|---|---|---|---|
||---|-4-|---|-5-|---|---|---|---|---|
||---|-1-|---|-2-|---|---|---|---|---|
It looks like F# pentatonic minor would fit nicely over all this. Notice I include the C#.
F# pentatonic minor:
||---|-1-|---|---|-m3|---|---|---|---|
||---|-5-|---|---|-m7|---|---|---|---|
||---|-m3|---|-4-|---|---|---|---|---|
||---|-m7|---|-1-|---|---|---|---|---|
||---|-4-|---|-5-|---|---|---|---|---|
||---|-1-|---|-2-|-m3|---|---|---|---|
Or since it has the same notes but labels them as different degrees, A pentatonic major.
A pentatonic major:
||---|-M6|---|---|-1-|---|---|---|---|
||---|-M3|---|---|-5-|---|---|---|---|
||---|-1-|---|-2-|---|---|---|---|---|
||---|-5-|---|-M6|---|---|---|---|---|
||---|-2-|---|-M3|---|---|---|---|---|
||---|-M6|---|-M7|-1-|---|---|---|---|
Another option here is to record a simple one note bass line & play the riff along with it to see what sounds good!
So play a repeating A note on bass. Or a repeating F#. You should also try the other notes in those keys. You might find that B dorian fits really well because it's the 2nd mode of A major & your riff leans strongly on the note B.
Hope that helps! Have fun!
