Catholics & Catholicism » Roman Catholic Church » What is the "Saddest Key?"

What is the "Saddest Key?"

Question:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –   "D minor, the saddest of all keys"    – Nigel Tufnel Enough Said I think this is the saddest chord I’ve ever heard:  B—-3—–  G—-0—–  D—-1—–  A—-3—– I heard it (or something a lot like it) in ‘Immemorial Dream’ by Disincarnate. Chris

Try this one    E…..                       B….                       G….3.                       D…2..                       A……                       E……         alternate pick from lowest to highest and back down each note seperately…Scott

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yer i read that as well, spookey, personally i think the saddest key is one youve lost, and have to pay for a new one :) – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – The Roman Catholic Church dictated that the use of tri-tones (a Hendrix favorite) was against church law, as they "contained the Devil in music" in the 15th or 16th century. Andre

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D minor, just ask Nigel from Spinal Tap

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In which culture?   ;-) http://www.elliott-randall.com

It’s D-flat, according to Nigel.

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The Roman Catholic Church dictated that the use of tri-tones (a Hendrix favorite) was against church law, as they "contained the Devil in music," in the 15th or 16th century. Andre

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Along these same lines, I grew up in Church, and I remember hearing once that there was actually a book that described some keys and even individual notes as "Good" or "evil". Interesting concept. – Byron Lee Ewers   And I suppose you are stupid enough to believe

All I read in the foregoing is that Byron "once heard" something about a book that he ostensibly hasn’t even seen.  I see no indication that he believes anything whatsoever, and even less that he is stupid.  I wish I could say the same for you.  You sound like a brainwashed zombie,

Which of the 34 words of this lengthy and extensive confession of faith is it that leads you to this inescapable conclusion? BTW, tell me what the Evil keys were, I have a friend in a death metal band …

I’m not surprised.  Is he as skilled at reading as you are? — Best regards, Con "Mozart is too easy for beginners and too difficult for artists."                                         – Artur Schnabel To reply delete "jetencule" from address.

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  "D minor, the saddest of all keys"    – Nigel Tufnel Enough Said

I think this is the saddest chord I’ve ever heard:   B—-3—–   G—-0—–   D—-1—–   A—-3—– I heard it (or something a lot like it) in ‘Immemorial Dream’ by Disincarnate. Chris

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Along these same lines, I grew up in Church, and I remember hearing once that there was actually a book that described some keys and even individual notes as "Good" or "evil". Interesting concept. – Byron Lee Ewers

  And I suppose you are stupid enough to believe there are Good and Evil keys just like they taught you.  You sound like a brainwashed zombie, sorry you had to grow up in that weird church like that. BTW, tell me what the Evil keys were, I have a friend in a death metal band that would like to know which ones they are. Maybe he will go to hell for playing them?

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Nigel Tufnel: "D minor… the saddest of all keys, really. It just makes me weep, instantly." Marty DeBergi: "And what’s the name of this song?" Nigel Tufnel: "Lick My Love Pump."

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The Saddest key. Let’s see sad is subjective, therefore it is a matter of opinion.  A song that is sad to one person may provoke another to burst out in uncontrollable laughter. This is another one of those what is the bestest, greatest, technicallest, bullshitiest, lamest, top 10 est, greatest, worst, least, funniest , saddest , stupidest type post these news groups are constantly stricken with. Ice House

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A non-technical definition: The saddest key is perhaps whatever slow piece you’re listening to when your girl or boy friend leaves you. hp.

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In which culture?   ;-) http://www.elliott-randall.com

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The saddest key is any key Brad F. tries to play in with his trusty Big Muff. (Mom’s High School nick-name?) Carl

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The saddest key? Probably the one I broke in the door lock a couple years back.  Had to have a locksmith come out and everything… Dispater Warning: Some stories by Dispater may never have actually occured…

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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –    Never Ever play or listen to anything in Eb minor. You will instantly need ant-depressant medication or you will commit suicide within three days after hearing a song composed in this sad key. Ummm… pardon me, but anyone who plays a song with their guitar tuned down 1/2 step in E minor (even though it sounds a half step down) is playing in Eb minor? Thing of all the people who play songs in that key that tune 1/2 step down? Hendrix, Van Halen, Jerry Cantrell,Yngwie, Metallica etc etc All those guys (except Jimi) are on Prozac and St.John’s Wort to prevent the effects of the dreaded Eb minor syndrome Alex spoke of … this is why the US suicide rate is so high … I’m suprised Congress hasn’t addressed this issue yet … it must be a conspiracy to thin out the rock and roll crowd. Another thing never to do is to play an Eb in the key of Am … you will go straight to hell. TQ Hot

And don’t play "Satisfaction" in Eb minor.  It was once reported that, when played at sufficient volume, Satisfaction’s rhythm could interfere with your heart rate.  It probably doesn’t matter in hell. –Barry

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I don’t think it is the key itself that makes a music sadder than another.  The difference is in the way they are played.  There’s not a huge interval between E and Eb minor, but (with a concert tuning) the chords will be played a different way.  IMHO, that’s the only difference between keys, but I may be wrong.                                 Martin

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Which ever one that "Lick My Love Pump" is written in  ;^) B -=You get left back TWO years, you probably killed faculty!=-Adam Corolla O- Captain Bemo                     |It’s really dangerous, being a rock Guitarist, Hunter S. Thompson fan   |star.  I mean, if you say that you working my ass off over the summer  |want a 40 Ft. lemon, someone goes         "just for fun"                    |out and builds you one.    Bono -= If mechanoids could barf, I’d be on my fifth bag already!=- KRYTEN

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I am gonna go out on a limb and say the key has nothing to do with the sadness of a song.  All minor keys are the same except for their pitch. C minor only differs with D minor by 1 step of pitch.  Some keys may be more suited for a particular instrument, however.  I submit that a lot of the inherent sadness of a song has to do with the vocal content.  You can be in a major key and if you are singing about your puppy being run over by a semi truck that can be very sad.  Unless you hated you puppy in which case maybe the song could be somewhat amusing.  Another example is Hanson.  Everything they do brings tears to my eyes. IceHouse

Now that I read the original post … way to much beer … next time i’ll cut you off before you expose your musical illiteracy to the cyberspace communtity. TQ Hot

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I am gonna go out on a limb and say the key has nothing to do with the sadness of a song.  All minor keys are the same except for their pitch. C minor only differs with D minor by 1 step of pitch.  Some keys may be more suited for a particular instrument, however.  I submit that a lot of the inherent sadness of a song has to do with the vocal content.  You can be in a major key and if you are singing about your puppy being run over by a semi truck that can be very sad.  Unless you hated you puppy in which case maybe the song could be somewhat amusing.  Another example is Hanson.  Everything they do brings tears to my eyes. IceHouse

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I am gonna go out on a limb and say the key has nothing to do with the sadness of a song.  All minor keys are the same except for their pitch.

Oh and what a limb you have gone out on.  In the _’Real’_ world a musical key in nothing without an instrument to express it. Tonality of instruments play big roles in the ‘feeling’ of a key. Technique also plays another, with the physical method of producing tones an additional factor. Playing in the key of Bb or Eb minor on Piano will produce different feelings than a Guitar.  Wind instruments are in specific keys and produce different results in a minor key than stringed instruments (like a Cello or Viola’).  The scape of the bow goes a long way toward making me drink that second glass you know….:) Regards NathanW|RiverWest Entertainment Remove the ** from address to e-mail

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Along these same lines, I grew up in Church, and I remember hearing once that there was actually a book that described some keys and even individual notes as "Good" or "evil". Interesting concept. – Byron Lee Ewers

= = Then why would Beethoven use it for the "Ode to Joy."  You don’t think = = the treatise on Joy begins in the last movement, do you? = Barry. = P.S Try C#minor, and all the compositions that are written by many = composers in that key. = = Stephen Bondy u

= : All you have to do is watch "This is Spinal Tap" and you’ll hear = Nigel = : Tufnel describe D minor as "The saddest of all keys". = = : Nigel Tufnel must represent the height of underplayed genius in our = century. = =According to Jean-Pierre Rampal (in a conversation I had with him), =Mozart used the key of B Minor for only one movement ever, namely the =solo piano piece called Adagio in B Minor. Of course I don’t know what =this means. = =The whole question of ‘meaning’ of keys is a vexed one, because of =course on a piano tuned in equal temperament, the characteristic =micro-relationships of the intervals that presumably gave the various =characters (for those sensitive individuals who felt this way) vanishes =altogether. (Presumably it was never simply the absolute pitch that did =it, because absolute pitch has moved around a lot over the decades & =centures; certainly from A = 415 to A = 445 & probably over a wider =range than that; I’m no scholar of this.) On instruments that have =continuous control of intonation, and when they’re not playing with =piano, presumably these relationships still exist. = = = —–BEGIN PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK—– Version: 2.6.2 mQBtAzPBNGIAAAEDANkk/eu4Wc0l9SLxDX+VQmOQJ1RZT0eBcYADsxjdxYdMtIyi jD0wak4txE60qHhv2dfCpN9D2O6R/1QfKrASwhFK1mUzr+em4wBy0CjxhzobNQmf yX/071AiJbxlzeRG9QAFE7QlQnlyb24gTGVlIEV3ZXJzIDxibGV3ZXJzQHNwcnlu ZXQuY29tPokAdQMFEDPBL8+keGAP9ryCiQEB6VoC/RhPascfE77x+YM5z6bcW13Q Mr2BzCkEBPv8L3UtKRMmkz+mdUTz9WP3Zeko4bZZTeUB9OWSuccR/NsKDgbJJriV 6BsTJ2V29laeKpLW28qQzuNLwibFVdjxIQjeqKs6bA== =qEXv —–END PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK—–

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| In a word: ignorance. What was the question???!!

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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Then why would Beethoven use it for the "Ode to Joy."  You don’t think the treatise on Joy begins in the last movement, do you? Barry. P.S Try C#minor, and all the compositions that are written by many composers in that key. Stephen Bondy u : All you have to do is watch "This is Spinal Tap" and you’ll hear Nigel : Tufnel describe D minor as "The saddest of all keys". : Nigel Tufnel must represent the height of underplayed genius in our century.

According to Jean-Pierre Rampal (in a conversation I had with him), Mozart used the key of B Minor for only one movement ever, namely the solo piano piece called Adagio in B Minor. Of course I don’t know what this means. The whole question of ‘meaning’ of keys is a vexed one, because of course on a piano tuned in equal temperament, the characteristic micro-relationships of the intervals that presumably gave the various characters (for those sensitive individuals who felt this way) vanishes altogether. (Presumably it was never simply the absolute pitch that did it, because absolute pitch has moved around a lot over the decades & centures; certainly from A = 415 to A = 445 & probably over a wider range than that; I’m no scholar of this.) On instruments that have continuous control of intonation, and when they’re not playing with piano, presumably these relationships still exist.

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P.S Try C#minor, and all the compositions that are written by many composers in that key. : All you have to do is watch "This is Spinal Tap" and you’ll hear Nigel : Tufnel describe D minor as "The saddest of all keys". The whole question of ‘meaning’ of keys is a vexed one, because of

About 3 years ago, I started a thread on this subject.  I asked about similar associations of keys with emotions—"the bright key of E Major", "the sunny G Major", the "dark D-Flat"….   There was no consensus in the discussion as to the ultimate source of these associations.  Could it be merely historical (hysterical)?

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incoherently babbled – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – incoherently babbled Then why would Beethoven use it for the "Ode to Joy."  You don’t think the treatise on Joy begins in the last movement, do you? Barry. P.S Try C#minor, and all the compositions that are written by many composers in that key. Stephen Bondy u : All you have to do is watch "This is Spinal Tap" and you’ll hear Nigel : Tufnel describe D minor as "The saddest of all keys". : Nigel Tufnel must represent the height of underplayed genius in our century. According to Jean-Pierre Rampal (in a conversation I had with him), Mozart used the key of B Minor for only one movement ever, namely the solo piano piece called Adagio in B Minor. Of course I don’t know what this means. The whole question of ‘meaning’ of keys is a vexed one, because of course on a piano tuned in equal temperament, the characteristic micro-relationships of the intervals that presumably gave the various characters (for those sensitive individuals who felt this way) vanishes altogether. (Presumably it was never simply the absolute pitch that did it, because absolute pitch has moved around a lot over the decades & centures; certainly from A = 415 to A = 445 & probably over a wider range than that; I’m no scholar of this.) On instruments that have continuous control of intonation, and when they’re not playing with piano, presumably these relationships still exist. I always thought that G minor and F# minor were pretty sad (and pretty). Its minor this way or that, if you thought about it the key shouldn’t be making you sad, the music you wrote should…

To me, though, D minor does sound different than G minor or C# Minor. And what do you mean with "the music you wrote should…"?  What are you implying? The ellipses usually mean you’re implying something or being subtle.  Not that I’m angry or anything, just wondering…. :-)

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