Is D Minor the Saddest of All Possible Keys?

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Nigel Tofnell said that D minor is the saddest of all possible keys. I think Joni Mitchell sounded better in the 80s and 90s than in the 60s because she lost the ability to get up so high. There are certain things, certain type melodies, like there are certain minor keys like aolian, which is natural minor, that has a very melancholy sound to it.

There is no human endeavor that does not have a theory of it — a set of ideas about what makes it work and how to do it well. Music is no exception, popular music included — there are reasons why certain keys, chord changes, and rhythmic structures have proven successful over the years. Nobody has done more to help people understand the theoretical underpinnings of popular music than today’s guest, Rick Beato. His YouTube videos dig into how songs work and what makes them great. We talk about music theory and how it contributes to our appreciation of all kinds of music.

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Rick Beato obtained a master’s degree in jazz studies from the New England Conservatory of Music. He is currently a producer and owner of Black Dog Sound Studios in Georgia, as well as host of a popular YouTube channel. He has worked as a session musician, songwriter, and lecturer at Berklee College of Music and elsewhere. He is the author of The Beato Book Interactive as well as other music-training tools.

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