Re: [Harp-L] "First Chord" in Sweet Georgia!!

[David Naiditch <davidnaiditch@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

How funny that we made a full circle.  Here is what I posted on May 4, 2011

Figuring out keys can get tricky because the first chord of the melody isn't always the same as the key.  (Although as Garry pointed out, the last chord is more likely to be.)  I recently had the unfortunate experience of being invited on stage to play Sweet Georgia Brown and Caravan.  They asked me what key I'd like to play Sweet Georgia Brown.  When I said G, the band leader immediately kicked it off in Bb.  It took few measures before I figured out why I was having trouble.  The band leader mistakenly thought that the first chord fitting the melody indicated the key, whereas the melody begins on the VI chord.  When he announced Caravan in the key of B, I was very suspicious.  I correctly assumed he meant E because the tune begins on the V chord.  So even when a key is announced, be on your guard.

- David Naiditch
www.davidnaiditch.com





On Jul 19, 2011, at 5:16 PM, Rick Dempster wrote:

> I can't believe it.  Musta been a half dozen replies to this cat's TWO posts, and nobody answered his question.
> If the tune is in F, which in my experience, it often is, the 'first chord' is D. 
> If it's in G, which it often is, again, in my experience, then the 'first chord' is E.
> Whatever key it's in (or resolves to, if you prefer)
> it starts a minor third down, or on the sixth of the 'home key'.
> Then it's just round the cycle of 5ths or 4ths or whatever. So, in F:
> D G C F. Yeah, there's a couple more changes in there. A quick Google will bring 'em up.
> Matter of fact, SGB works very well in 11th position (and I am not a big fan of far-out positions, OBs etc., even though I use them sometimes - I reckon they sound UGLY no matter who does it)
> See this: G, C, F, Bb. You hardly spend any time 'in' Bb and you don't need that horrible OB on blow 5 to get the major 3rd of the D chord.
> It's just about all open, considering you have the 3rd and 5th of the Bb chord (D and F) living right next door to each other all over the harp, and Bb is the easiest
> OB to get anyhow.
> Hope this helps.
> RD
>>>> <sheltraw@xxxxxxxxxxxx> 20/07/2011 5:47 >>>
> The tune Sweet Georgia Brown is in the AB format. So if somebody familiar
> with the tune as played in bluegrass jams were to tell me what the first
> chord of the A section is that would suffice.
> 
> Cheers!
> 
>> Providing an appropriate response is a challenge without getting some idea
>> of what your definition of 'key' is.
>> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: sheltraw@xxxxxxxxxxxx 
>> Sent: Tuesday, July 19, 2011 12:45 PM
>> To: harp-l
>> Subject: Re: [Harp-L] bluegrass at SPAH
>> 
>> In what "key" is Sweet Georgia Brown usually played at bluegrass? What's
>> the first chord?
>> 
>> 
> 
> 
> 
>