Mark's Songs Keys

[Love Expresso]

Cool. Sometimes it is difficult to rate his attitude about these things. On the one hand Mark seems very accurate and sometimes is painstakingly a detail freak... On the other hand, he sits at promotion shows and really tries to tell us that he doesn't remember on which album Marbletown was, or even can't remember the correct names of his records... Might be his modesty or understatement. But I once read an interview (about the time of the Shangri-La release 2004). where he wasn't sure if a certain song was on the record or not, because he wouldn't care "for such things, once the album is recorded".

So maybe he cannot imagine there really is someone out there who takes the time and effort to make such a great list! 

LE

[Rollergirl]

All well over my head. 
But sure sounds fascinating!!
I know nothing about how music is constructed,
all I know is that I love listening to it.

Cheers. BBB

same here!

[dustyvalentino]

What I find odd with MK's songs is those endings. I don't get it why he ends some of the songs not on the root, but on a previous chord. E.g. Sultans on C or Telegraph Road on D (sounds alright though), On Every Street on G (this one sounds really "unfinished")...

Because it would be boring if every song ended the same.

What It Is is another one, and it sounds great.

[Fletch]

Mmm, I think with Sultans the end progression is probably in the key of Cmaj because the resolve to C is very strong. So the Dm here is the II chord which can be substituted for the V as the dominant?

Come on music theorists, is this right? I'm just thinking aloud really!

[foma]

I sent it to Guy's Forum. But right after I sent it I've found an error.

Home Boy seems like in F# Major, but I put it in Db Major...
Anyway, it's rare key of Mark's music too

upd: As I said, nothing new in the answer

[foma]

Well, I've updated the list. What's new we have here, we have a LOT of parallel keys on the new album. But I've put this songs with major ones, since minor derived from the 6th step of the major. Anyway, the Privateering:

01. Redbud Tree - F Major / D Minor
02. Haul Away - C Major
03. Don't Forget Your Hat - C Major Blues (Same as You Can't Beat A House LOL)
04. Privateering - Eb Major / C Minor
05. Miss You Blues - D Major
06. Corned Beef City - C Major
07. Go, Love - D Major / B Minor
08. Hot or What - C Major Blues (Same C Blues again!)
09. Yon Two Crows - F Major / D Minor
10. Seattle - F Major

11. Kingdom of Gold - C# Minor
12. Got To Have Something - B Major Blues
13. Radio City Serenade - B Major (That' why it reminds me Stand Up Guy)
14. I Used To Could - E Major Blues
15. Gator Blood - Bb Major Blues
16. Bluebird - Eb Minor Blues
17. Dream of the Drowned Submariner - Eb Major / C Minor
18. Blood and Water - Bb Major / G Minor Blues
19. Today Is Okay - E Major Blues
20. After the Beanstalk - Eb Major Blues (Same as All That Matters)

Totally we have 9 blues tracks!

[PixelPerfect]

*Head Explodes*
I knew I should've taken a music theory class...

[foma]

ROFL! Don't take it seriously, it's just some geek-oriented stuff. Like the list of guitars. By the way, seems like a lot of Gibson Advanced Jumbo on the album. Oh, I love that guitar!

[Mona Dee]

WOW, some of you seem to be real guitarists ! It must be great to play Marks songs by yourself. I don`t play any instruments... I remember that in Guy`s forum there was this question, if Mark can read and write music, and Guy answered that they dabble in reading music...but how can Mark write this fantastic music then

[foma]

Well, I play jazz a lot and Mark's music just blows my mind every time. He certainly studied a lot of music theory in the mid of 80s. He also suggested a book called "Mickey Baker' Jazz Guitar", do you see it? Hundred pages of hot and deep music theory stuff even without any TAB, only with standard notation. Mark uses Dorian Mode a lot (B Natural in Why Aye Man, G Sharp in Je Suis Desole), Mixolidian Mode (A Natural in Calling Elvis, G Natural in Vic and Ray) and so on. BUT, it's just the names for certain sounds. And most of the songs in Ionian Mode actually, which is standard Major scale. You can easily doesn't know what the hell Dorian or Mixolidian Mode is, but knows it really by heart. All those guys also known as "he was born for music and all" guys can do it that way. But anybody can learn this, anybody can improvise, anybody can write music, you just should learn how to do it properly, step by step.

And Dorian Mode is just simple minor scale with sharp 6th, I noticed certain notes from MK songs above. Music theory is really, really easy stuff once you know how basic major scale constructed. Not only easy, but very interesting. Scales, arpeggios, chords, chromatics... oh, I love all that stuff.

I really want to do some covers of MK. But actually it takes years to understand and learn how to play MK songs properly. Even be-bop is easier, not kidding.

[daveyray70]

Interesting thing about Telegraph Road in that it constantly floats between D major and minor in the instrumental passages. Always liked that.

[Mona Dee]

Thanks for the explanations foma. So Mark knows alot of music theory, notation etc.  I`ve learned about musical theory in school, but forgot really everything !!! Well, it is some time ago  .

[Fletch]

Interesting thing about Telegraph Road in that it constantly floats between D major and minor in the instrumental passages. Always liked that.

If its helpful to anyone, Mark just makes sure he lands on (mostly) sweet Dmajor notes over the Dmajor chord. Of course, how he does this with sublime passages and feel/emotion is why we (budding guitarists) adore him, right?
As foma says, you can turn that fifth note of the Dmajor scale add it to Dminor and you will end up with a modal name that a technical musician can deal with. I doubt Mark thinks like that, at least not in the early days. It certainly isn't necessary to learning to play, but it isn't unhelpful either, music is a pretty deep well.
Country guitar is quite melodic, and follows the chord patterns a lot. It's a great place to start learning, once you get over the basics of chords and a fretboard.

[tobi777]

Thanks foma, this is a very unique and interesting thread 

And concerning TOL: Being a guitar player myself it doesn't matter if it's F-Major or D-Minor - the scales are the same anyway and I always think in minor scales. So I don't mind - if I only could play that song properly 

[rudiger]

thanks foma, I find your list impressive even if I have no idea what all this means