song keys - as recorded v. as notated

[cstewart]

So I guess this is where we post topics concerning CDLC creation?  If there's a better place for this feel free to move it.

 

I'm working on Twenty Flight Rock by Eddie Cochran.  Every tab / lesson / video / etc., official or otherwise, has notated the song in the key of A (chords A, D & E).

 

It didn't sound quite right in my feeble attempts to play along so I plugged it into chordify and it says the song is in G (chords G, C & D). 

 

http://chordify.net/chords/eddie-cochran-twenty-flight-rock-davemusicalmente 

 

That sounds much better, or my ears are tricked into thinking it does.  I understand this could be a result of just tuning the guitar by ear to itself or slowing the recording down in the studio but I can't be the first person to realize this because I'm woefully ignorant in all things musical.

 

I think I'm just going to do the arrangements in D standard so that I (and whoever downloads the custom) can play it in stadard tuning in A, the way the rest of the world thinks it should be.  So, I suppose my only purpose in posting this is to get a second opinion and verify that I'm not crazy. 

 

Somebody?  Anybody?

[LittleLui]

IMO it is absolutely imperative that the CDLC has matching keys for the recording and the notes. Otherwise it will be very painful playing it. After a quick look at the tab it should be quite possible to transpose it to G without requiring re-tuning.

A|---3-4---3-4---3-4---|E|-5-----5-----5-----5-|

becomes

A|---1-2---1-2---1-2---|E|-3-----3-----3-----3-|

IMO this would be more comfortable to play instead of having to re-tune to D standard just for that song. (Which i look forward to play btw, great song!)

[MVega]

Check out this youtube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDFslybnkJk

 

This version's definitely in A  -- watch his hands (even though he's faking it) -- He's playing it the way the tab's written.

 

I'm not sure how you'd be able to play the riff in a different key, unless you retune the guitar.

 

Here's another verison on youtube (link below) -- it's still A, maybe a wee bit off, but it could be the audio conversion that does this.

 

BUT: I just found a THIRD version -- and that one's clearly in G! I'm guessing that's the one you have -- ditch it! It's wrong! Listen to his voice when he's singing --it's clearly been retuned.

 

A lot of old records seem to have tuning or speed issues - something got screwed up in the transfer process, I think. At least, that's my theory -- it explains a lot of songs that aren't in A440 tuning but shifting just a little higher or lower.

 

To me, it makes sense to re-tune the mp3 file to bring it to standard tuning in a case like that, where it's off by a half-note or less. To me that's a sign the transfer got screwed up.

 

But this song's definitely supposed to be in A and the version you have was retuned to G. (I'll go check my copy too, it's on another computer)

 

 

 

And here's the WRONG version:

[MVega]

Ah the plot thickens... because I checked the version I have (comes from a collection called Rockabilly's Gravest Hits) -- and it's the downtuned version as well!

 

But it's clearly not right. You can tell by the sound of his voice in the song -- he sounds way too much like Elvis.

 

Seems to me the real version is on the Best of Eddie Cochran. 

 

Here's another one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jc_p6uUS86o

 

 

(You can probably guess I'm pretty excited by the prospect of getting some rockabilly into my fingers!)

[cstewart]

Marty-  Thanks, I'll check that one out after work.

 

EDIT:  I lied.  I checked it out AT work.  Those videos of the song in A just answered another question I had.  I have 2 versions of the sheet music for this song.  The solo starts out the same but diverges pretty quickly.  I realize now that one fits the A version and the other fits the G version (if it was in A).

 

I think what I'm going to do is take the one I have (since the tracking is done for the most part) and shift the .wav up to A in Audacity.  Then at some point I'll do the other version with the different solo and just have 2 versions of the same song.  A plague of riches.