Key signature of my first jazz tune?

[SeanUK]

Hey guys,

This is my first Jazz tune ive ever written, but im not sure of the key signature of the piece. I thought at first the A section was in Ebmajor and that the B section was in E lydian (Bmajor) but due to the heavy chromatisicm involved it becomes a little confusing. Here the chord sequences:

A section: (3/4 time signature) (AABA structure) (Eb major?)

Ebmaj7 - Ebmaj9 - Bbmaj7 - Am7 x2
Abmin7 - Bmaj13- Ebm Dm Dbm - Cm - Fm - G7b9 - Abmaj 13 - Bmaj13 - Bmaj13

B section: (E lydian?)

G#min7 - A#min 7 - Eadd9 - (Eadd9) x4


Also any pointers on adjusting the piece are welcome, since im knew to jazz

[JonR]

Originally Posted by SeanUK

Hey guys,

This is my first Jazz tune ive ever written, but im not sure of the key signature of the piece. I thought at first the A section was in Ebmajor and that the B section was in E lydian (Bmajor) but due to the heavy chromatisicm involved it becomes a little confusing. Here the chord sequences:

A section: (3/4 time signature) (AABA structure) (Eb major?)

Ebmaj7 - Ebmaj9 - Bbmaj7 - Am7 x2
Abmin7 - Bmaj13- Ebm Dm Dbm - Cm - Fm - G7b9 - Abmaj 13 - Bmaj13 - Bmaj13

You really mean Bmaj13 here? Not Bbmaj13?
Whichever, I get no sense of a clear key centre here. Lots of different ones are implied:

Ebmaj7 - Bbmaj7 = Bb major
Bbmaj7 - Am7 = F major
Abm7 (G#m7) - Bmaj13 - Ebm (D#m) - Dbm (C#m) = B major
Fm - G7b9 - Abmaj13 = C minor

Originally Posted by SeanUK

B section: (E lydian?)

G#min7 - A#min 7 - Eadd9 - (Eadd9) x4

More clearly B major.

So it seems more chords belong to B major (5 sharps) than any other key, tho you could make an argument for Eb/Cm (3 flats). (E lydian would be same key sig as B major, IMO.)

A lot depends on the melody, and what chord your sequence resolves to (if any), but on the face of it I would notate this with a blank key sig (indicating no overall key, not C major), using accidentals as necessary.

Originally Posted by SeanUK

Also any pointers on adjusting the piece are welcome, since im knew to jazz

See above about enharmonics.
This is a surprisingly complicated sequence for someone new to jazz. (Nothing wrong with it, but I'm wondering about those maj13s...)
If you're a guitarist, perhaps you could post tab of your melody, or your chord shapes? Also clearer timings (bars, chords per bar). That might help clarify some things.

[SeanUK]

Yeah this the first ever jazz tune I have written, although its in very early stages so I have not made a melody for it yet. It was for my composition assignment at uni, but if its atonal kind of then I cant really use it, as I have to have at least one passage of functional harmony and it appears it doesnt make sense musically I tried getting someone to record a tenor sax over it but it didn't sound to good and the key changes put the sax player off. All I have at the moment is drums, bass and guitar. The chord shapes are:

Ebmaj7 Ebmaj9 Bbmaj7 Am7
-- -- -- --
-8 -6 -6 -5
-7 -7 -7 -5
-8 -5 -7 -5
-6 -6 -- --
-- -- -6 -5


Bbm7 Bmaj13 Ebm7 (I use all the same chord shapes for the rest)

-- -- --
-6 -9 -7
-6 -8 -6
-6 -8 -8
-- -- -6
-6 -7 --


B section:


G#m7 A#m7 Eadd9

-2- -4- --
-0- --- -7
-4- -6- -6
-4- -6- -6
--- --- -7
-4- -6- --

Hope this helps