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Comfortably Numb key

Home › Forums › Forum Help And Other Tutorials › Comfortably Numb key

  • This topic has 4 replies, 3 voices, and was last updated 1 year, 6 months ago by Greg M.
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    • September 12, 2024 at 1:29 am #378169
      Greg M
      Participant

        Hi jammers,
        I have a question about the Comfortably Numb solos.
        The second solo is great to play in the key of Bm, however the first solo does not seem to fit the same Key.
        Is there a difference in the keys or is it just my ear tricking me?
        Any help would be appreciated!
        Cheers from the Gold Coast AU,
        Greg

      • September 12, 2024 at 5:41 am #378177
        charjo
        Moderator

          Hi Greg,
          The first solo is in D major and the second solo is in it’s relative minor, B. Same notes, different sound due to the underlying chord harmony.
          John

        • September 12, 2024 at 6:06 am #378178
          charjo
          Moderator

            Greg,
            Here’s a fantastic lesson to see the chord structure of the verses and why that B minor doesn’t work. The second verse and 1st solo are in D major with a borrowed C chord. I think a lot of the 1st solo uses arpeggios and chord tones of the underlying chords.
            John

          • September 12, 2024 at 8:45 am #378183
            Jean-Michel G
            Participant

              The verses of this song are in B minor; the pre-chorus modulates to D major, the relative major key of B minor. This is a fairly common thing in music since the Baroque period at least 😉

              The pre-chorus and chorus also contain a C chord; you may hear that as a borrowed chord from D Mixolydian, or as a modulation to C major.

              The first solo is definitely in D major with, again, that C chord. The harmony under the first solo is:
              |D – – – |D – – – |A – – – |A – – – |
              |D – – – |D – – – |A – – – |A – – G/B |
              |C – – – |C – – – |G – – – |G – – – |
              |C – – – |C – – – |G – – – |G – – – |
              I personally tend to hear this as a first part in D major, a second part in C major, before finally returning to B minor for the next verse.
              Gilmour essentially plays the good old D major pentatonic; nothing fancy, but what a phrasing and articulation!

              The second solo (outdo) is in B minor, the song’s original key.

              I think I listened to “The Wall” at least a thousand times!

            • September 13, 2024 at 5:35 pm #378270
              Greg M
              Participant

                Thanks for replies and information on my question concerning Comfortably Numb.
                I have practiced your advice, and all is good now.
                Also, happy that my ear is still OK.
                Regards Greg

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