In what key is Powerslave?

Mega

Ancient Mariner
For some reason, I can't lock on the Key. Or scale if i'm saying it wrong.
I thought it was D for a time, but i can't figure it out.
 
But the solos have C# in them, is it possible it shifts to B minor there?
Also, I think the entire song can be in Em, besides the solos.
 
That's right, the solos are in B minor. When I think about it a second time, you may be right the verses are also in Em, but if so it's in another mode (because the base chord in the verse is A5. Dead sure.) I find it easier to think when I play it, so I'll check it out when I get home. Possibly some others will put things right before I get that far ...

EDIT: When I think about it a bit more (and write down the scales on a piece of paper) I realise that the verse riff does not match either of the mentioned minor scales. A scale that contains all the three notes in the main dun-dadadun-dadadun-DA-dun-dadadun-dadadun-DA-dun-dadadun-dadadun-DA-... is Bb minor. The three notes are A, Bb and C and the scale is:

Bb C C# D# F F# A Bb.

This would mean that part of the riff uses the 7th (Locrian) mode of the Bb minor scale. The last piece of the main riff is in the key of D harmonic minor.
The chorus goes in natural Em.
 
Yeah, the base chord is an A5. See, the only reason i think it can be Em as well is that the chords are the same. I mean, there are no F's to prove it's Am, but also no F#'s to prove it's Em. I guess it's another mode. What do you call the unrelated sharps and flats in the main riff? I mean the name of the mode or this pattern in music.
That's the thing that gives Powerslave it's Egyptian feel. I'm studying music theory so I'm interested in this.

EDIT:
whopes, there is an F5 that proves it can be Am.
Does that mean it can be some sort of diminished Em scale?
 
megadeoxys said:
Yeah, the base chord is an A5. See, the only reason i think it can be Em as well is that the chords are the same. I mean, there are no F's to prove it's Am, but also no F#'s to prove it's Em. I guess it's another mode. What do you call the unrelated sharps and flats in the main riff? I mean the name of the mode or this pattern in music.
That's the thing that gives Powerslave it's Egyptian feel. I'm studying music theory so I'm interested in this.

EDIT:
whopes, there is an F5 that proves it can be Am.
Does that mean it can be some sort of diminished Em scale?

Look up my previous post ... think I've figured it out.
 
But Bb has A flat in it, not A. Is it supposed to be an augmented seventh Bb? it's an harmonic minor I guess.

Side note:
I always wonder if the musicians even know what the hell they are doing when they write awesome music.
 
Natural minor of Bb has Ab, that's right, but harmonic minor has A. I should've made it clear I meant harmonic minor there.
 
It's okay, I barely have any idea what I'M talking about :p

Wingman, so what about the other part?
It goes: A D Db D E D E D Db D Db Bb.
D and E don't fit in Bb.
 
megadeoxys said:
It's okay, I barely have any idea what I'M talking about :p

Wingman, so what about the other part?
It goes: A D Db D E D E D Db D Db Bb.
D and E don't fit in Bb.

As I wrote already, that part is in D harmonic minor. D harmonic minor consists of D E F G A Bb C# D.
 
Wait, wait, wait... EW is mostly right, but not entirely...

The main riff of Powerslave (verse riff) is in A Phrygian. That's the notes of F major, but with A as the home note. Except: the lick in the 4th bar, if you had to nail it down to a scale, is indeed the 5th mode of D harmonic minor.

The point being: don't look for one scale that contains the whole riff. It's 3 bars of A Phrygian, 1 bar of the D-based scale.

And here's the other thing worth knowing: Using harmonic minor (or a mode thereof) to play melodies is a cheap trick invented by rock guitarists. In classical theory, harmonic minor is only a theoretical construction. It is never used melodically. The riff to Powerslave, if played in 18th century Vienna, would get you slapped. Repeatedly.

So using harmonic minor as the basis for a melody is silly. It's just a collection of notes that sound cool - don't get hung up on trying to define it as a scale. You'll miss the point. If it sounds good, it is good, and who cares what the scale is?
 
No, it doesn't.

What I said is: the obsession about scales is really stupid, considering that most rock guitarists have no idea about the theoretical background about those scales. Worry about whether it sounds good, and not what technical name to give the scale.
 
Fear is the key, to what you want to be. You don't get a say, if the mods get their way. You're outnumbered by the bastards, 'til the day you're BAAAAAAAAAAAAANNED!  :uhm:  :D  :ninja:
 
SinisterMinisterX said:
No, it doesn't.

What I said is: the obsession about scales is really stupid, considering that most rock guitarists have no idea about the theoretical background about those scales. Worry about whether it sounds good, and not what technical name to give the scale.

Look, I find it interesting. and really helps the composing process if you know what youre doing.
 
Reumeren said:
I just started playing guitar, and I have NO idead what you're talking about :p
Don't worry about it, i've been playing for over 15 years and I don't know that much about music theory
 
SinisterMinisterX said:
The main riff of Powerslave (verse riff) is in A Phrygian. That's the notes of F major, but with A as the home note. Except: the lick in the 4th bar, if you had to nail it down to a scale, is indeed the 5th mode of D harmonic minor.

mapAsiaMinorPhrygia.jpg


:huh: I always thought of Phrygia to be more south...
 
BRILLIANT
I'm gonna tell this to everyone i know.
That's about 2 people who will know what the hell im talking aboutXD
Wow, I just ran into something that solves the problem completely.
It appears that Powerslave is in the key of A Hejaz. This is a middle eastern key that ahs the foloowing intervals: ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 1½ 1.
Like this, it's pretty basic. gives that egyptian feeling because it actually has some relation to it!
And Dickinson fount it by accident. Amazing.
 
Back
Top