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April 23

What key is the BSG "Apocalypse" theme in?

In the TV movie Battlestar Galactica: The Plan there is an orchestrated theme, of which you can see a live appearance here. At about 40 seconds in, a stringed motif played on what I am told is an electric violin begins. Can anyone (e.g., (@JackofOz:?) tell me what key the piece is set in, if any? Thanks. μηδείς (talk) 23:22, 23 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

It seems to be in D minor. -- Jack of Oz ^{[pleasantries]} 05:02, 24 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

The saddest of all keys... --Jayron 32 01:10, 25 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Thanks. I played it along with some other rock songs for a friend who's been studying violin for two years, and he blurted out that it was in A minor. I can barely tell a violin from a piano on the radio, so I was curious as to his accuracy. I don't know how one determines the key without having the sheet music in any case, unless one has perfect pitch. μηδείς (talk) 20:01, 24 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Perfect pitch isn't necessary. A well-tuned instrument that gives discrete notes (a piano, for example, or a guitar; but not a violin) is all we need. You find the notes on the keyboard by trial and error, and then work out what the tonic is, which is usually a very simple exercise. I played the melody on my recently-tuned piano and, unless I've made a mistake, the tonic does seem to be D, not A. I've just now gone and repeated the exercise. A minor has a raised G, which this tune doesn't have. D minor has a flattened B, which this tune does have. And it ends on D, not A. Hence, D minor. But IANAPM (I am not a professional musician/musicologist). -- Jack of Oz ^{[pleasantries]} 01:43, 25 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]

I'll have to get my friend (my nephew, he'll be 11 soon) to work out the notes and follow your instructions. That was a great answer, Jack, thanks. μηδείς (talk) 02:32, 25 April 2016 (UTC)[reply]