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youngreverb

Joined: Jun 07, 2017
Posts: 48
University Place, WA
United States

Posted on Sep 04 2017 03:45 PM

What are some good keys to write a surf song in?

—

Gabe

Our beaches here get 3 foot tall waves, but it doesn't matter. You don't need to surf to play surf.

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Joelman

Joined: Sep 07, 2006
Posts: 1472
Redlands, CA
United States

Posted on Sep 04 2017 06:58 PM

youngreverb wrote:

What are some good keys to write a surf song in?

G A B C D E F these will work if you write the song in them. So let me turn my smart mouth off...click.
The key you write the song in is your choice.
Certain finger positions in approate key can make it easy to play, or not.
I'm not so sure writing in a certain key is foremost on a writers mind. Well I suppose it could be. But I'll bet most just doodle till they get a sound they like and go from there

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Chippertheripper

Joined: Mar 11, 2011
Posts: 819
Semass
1 Security Pin

Posted on Sep 04 2017 08:39 PM

A flat. No wait, g sharp is probably better.

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Chippertheripper

Joined: Mar 11, 2011
Posts: 819
Semass
1 Security Pin

Posted on Sep 04 2017 08:40 PM

My most favorites are b sharp and e sharp, of course.

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JakeDobner

Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 12159
Seattle
5 News Pins

Posted on Sep 04 2017 11:28 PM

Jesus... I almost wrote "compact organs and wurlitzer" earlier today.

Dm, C#m,

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Syndicateofsurf

Joined: Oct 08, 2014
Posts: 1073
Northern Ohio
United States

Posted on Sep 06 2017 06:51 AM

Em. All the others are just extra.

—

Da Vinci Flinglestein,
The quest for the Tone, the tone of the Quest

The Syndicate of Surf on YouTube

http://www.syndicateofsurf.com/

http://sharawaji.com/

http://surfrockradio.com/

Last edited: Sep 06, 2017 06:51:58

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synchro

Joined: Feb 02, 2008
Posts: 4128
Not One-Sawn, but Two-Sawn . . . AZ.
United States

Posted on Dec 16 2017 09:56 AM

Guitars and a few other stringed instruments have the distinction of having open-string and closed (fretted) notes. Also, whereas most instruments only have one place you can find a given pitch, there are notes which can be played in as many as five places, six if you employ harmonics. This ability also allows a player to play open notes off of fretted notes, etc. I think of playing which uses such techniques as being "guitariatic". Duane Eddy would be someone I consider guitaristic, likewise for a great deal of Surf music.

So the keys of E, A, D, G and C work well on guitar, both as Majors or minors. It is possible to play a C minor scale employing open notes and you retain that advantage of all the cool stuff you can do playing over a G7 chord and employing open notes.

Other that the above,I can see no advantage or disadvantage to any key.

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The artist formerly known as: Synchro

When Surf Guitar is outlawed only outlaws will play Surf Guitar.

Last edited: Mar 05, 2018 23:59:25

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JohnnyMosrite

Joined: Jun 14, 2006
Posts: 858
New York City area

Posted on Dec 16 2017 11:59 AM

A fly in the ointment has been saxophone players - at least the ones I've played with. Saxes are Bb and Eb instruments. A few players can handle 'E' but I'd get a sax player song and dance on F# ("too hard to solo over"). I usually had to tune my guitar to Eb. OK, I compromised so how about the throaty nasty sax sound Mr. sax player? "No - that's too hard". So I get bland solos. It's rock and surf; not Stan Getz.
I think if you can find a guitar player who also plays sax - or the other way around - you've probably really lucked out.
J Mo'

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synchro

Joined: Feb 02, 2008
Posts: 4128
Not One-Sawn, but Two-Sawn . . . AZ.
United States

Posted on Dec 16 2017 05:10 PM

JohnnyMosrite wrote:

A fly in the ointment has been saxophone players - at least the ones I've played with. Saxes are Bb and Eb instruments. A few players can handle 'E' but I'd get a sax player song and dance on F# ("too hard to solo over"). I usually had to tune my guitar to Eb. OK, I compromised so how about the throaty nasty sax sound Mr. sax player? "No - that's too hard". So I get bland solos. It's rock and surf; not Stan Getz.
I think if you can find a guitar player who also plays sax - or the other way around - you've probably really lucked out.
J Mo'

It’s a real problem if you add a horn, but it’s hard to fault them. Playing in key signatures with five or six sharps is pretty hard when you have to finger accidentals for all those notes. It’s not like guitar where a closed fingering scale can be moved by a certain number of frets but the fingering remains the same.

—

The artist formerly known as: Synchro

When Surf Guitar is outlawed only outlaws will play Surf Guitar.

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JObeast

Joined: Jul 24, 2012
Posts: 2762
Finknabad, Squinkistan
Turkmenistan

Posted on Dec 16 2017 10:10 PM

I like h.

—

Squink Out!

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synchro

Joined: Feb 02, 2008
Posts: 4128
Not One-Sawn, but Two-Sawn . . . AZ.
United States

Posted on Dec 17 2017 04:10 PM

JObeast wrote:

I like h.

I tried writing a Surf tune in that key, but it sounded like H.

—

The artist formerly known as: Synchro

When Surf Guitar is outlawed only outlaws will play Surf Guitar.

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raito

Joined: Oct 16, 2008
Posts: 549
Madison, WI
Antarctica

Posted on Dec 17 2017 06:23 PM

You can write a German surf song in H.

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youngreverb Joined: Jun 07, 2017 Posts: 48 University Place, WA	Posted on Sep 04 2017 03:45 PM What are some good keys to write a surf song in? — Gabe Our beaches here get 3 foot tall waves, but it doesn't matter. You don't need to surf to play surf. Top
Joelman Joined: Sep 07, 2006 Posts: 1472 Redlands, CA	Posted on Sep 04 2017 06:58 PM youngreverb wrote: What are some good keys to write a surf song in? G A B C D E F these will work if you write the song in them. So let me turn my smart mouth off...click. The key you write the song in is your choice. Certain finger positions in approate key can make it easy to play, or not. I'm not so sure writing in a certain key is foremost on a writers mind. Well I suppose it could be. But I'll bet most just doodle till they get a sound they like and go from there Top
Chippertheripper Joined: Mar 11, 2011 Posts: 819 Semass	Posted on Sep 04 2017 08:39 PM A flat. No wait, g sharp is probably better. Top
Chippertheripper Joined: Mar 11, 2011 Posts: 819 Semass	Posted on Sep 04 2017 08:40 PM My most favorites are b sharp and e sharp, of course. Top
JakeDobner Joined: Feb 26, 2006 Posts: 12159 Seattle	Posted on Sep 04 2017 11:28 PM Jesus... I almost wrote "compact organs and wurlitzer" earlier today. Dm, C#m, Top
Syndicateofsurf Joined: Oct 08, 2014 Posts: 1073 Northern Ohio	Posted on Sep 06 2017 06:51 AM Em. All the others are just extra. — Da Vinci Flinglestein, The quest for the Tone, the tone of the Quest The Syndicate of Surf on YouTube http://www.syndicateofsurf.com/ http://sharawaji.com/ http://surfrockradio.com/ Last edited: Sep 06, 2017 06:51:58 Top
synchro Joined: Feb 02, 2008 Posts: 4128 Not One-Sawn, but Two-Sawn . . . AZ.	Posted on Dec 16 2017 09:56 AM Guitars and a few other stringed instruments have the distinction of having open-string and closed (fretted) notes. Also, whereas most instruments only have one place you can find a given pitch, there are notes which can be played in as many as five places, six if you employ harmonics. This ability also allows a player to play open notes off of fretted notes, etc. I think of playing which uses such techniques as being "guitariatic". Duane Eddy would be someone I consider guitaristic, likewise for a great deal of Surf music. So the keys of E, A, D, G and C work well on guitar, both as Majors or minors. It is possible to play a C minor scale employing open notes and you retain that advantage of all the cool stuff you can do playing over a G7 chord and employing open notes. Other that the above,I can see no advantage or disadvantage to any key. — The artist formerly known as: Synchro When Surf Guitar is outlawed only outlaws will play Surf Guitar. Last edited: Mar 05, 2018 23:59:25 Top
JohnnyMosrite Joined: Jun 14, 2006 Posts: 858 New York City area	Posted on Dec 16 2017 11:59 AM A fly in the ointment has been saxophone players - at least the ones I've played with. Saxes are Bb and Eb instruments. A few players can handle 'E' but I'd get a sax player song and dance on F# ("too hard to solo over"). I usually had to tune my guitar to Eb. OK, I compromised so how about the throaty nasty sax sound Mr. sax player? "No - that's too hard". So I get bland solos. It's rock and surf; not Stan Getz. I think if you can find a guitar player who also plays sax - or the other way around - you've probably really lucked out. J Mo' Top
synchro Joined: Feb 02, 2008 Posts: 4128 Not One-Sawn, but Two-Sawn . . . AZ.	Posted on Dec 16 2017 05:10 PM JohnnyMosrite wrote: A fly in the ointment has been saxophone players - at least the ones I've played with. Saxes are Bb and Eb instruments. A few players can handle 'E' but I'd get a sax player song and dance on F# ("too hard to solo over"). I usually had to tune my guitar to Eb. OK, I compromised so how about the throaty nasty sax sound Mr. sax player? "No - that's too hard". So I get bland solos. It's rock and surf; not Stan Getz. I think if you can find a guitar player who also plays sax - or the other way around - you've probably really lucked out. J Mo' It’s a real problem if you add a horn, but it’s hard to fault them. Playing in key signatures with five or six sharps is pretty hard when you have to finger accidentals for all those notes. It’s not like guitar where a closed fingering scale can be moved by a certain number of frets but the fingering remains the same. — The artist formerly known as: Synchro When Surf Guitar is outlawed only outlaws will play Surf Guitar. Top
JObeast Joined: Jul 24, 2012 Posts: 2762 Finknabad, Squinkistan	Posted on Dec 16 2017 10:10 PM I like h. — Squink Out! Top
synchro Joined: Feb 02, 2008 Posts: 4128 Not One-Sawn, but Two-Sawn . . . AZ.	Posted on Dec 17 2017 04:10 PM JObeast wrote: I like h. I tried writing a Surf tune in that key, but it sounded like H. — The artist formerly known as: Synchro When Surf Guitar is outlawed only outlaws will play Surf Guitar. Top
raito Joined: Oct 16, 2008 Posts: 549 Madison, WI	Posted on Dec 17 2017 06:23 PM You can write a German surf song in H. Top

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