A shortcut for switching between major and minor keys

[Don't Shoot Me]

I had a question in mind, so I thought would best to use as an introductory forum post. I've written this 4-bar piece, but I don't know if it's in E major or minor. I don't usually 'conform' to scales when I write my riffs and pieces, so it's not whole-half-half-whole-whole-whole-half or whole-half-whole-whole-half-whole-whole with the way I work. With that in mind, here's my question: Is there a cheat to figure out if my piece is in major or minor, and what notes would I have to lower/raise a semitone to change? Here's my 4-bar piece as example (the * notes mean they're in the next octave): E*-D*-Db*-B-Ab-B-D*-A-C*-E*-E*-E*-D*-Db*-B. Transposing is easy, it's major/minor figuring and differentiation that's tricky!

 

[anotherscott]

Not all music has to be major or minor. But just looking at the notes you typed, I'd point out that neither E major nor E minor have any flats in them, so your Ab should be called G#, and your Db should be called C#.

 

[Biggles]

Welcome.

E Major
Notes: E, F#, G#, A, B, C#, D#

E minor
E, F♯, G, A, B, C, D

Ignoring any chord inversion for any three fingered major chord
( Root 3rd 5th ) play said chord then flatten the third for the minor chord.

IE chord E Major is E G# B so the chord E minor becomes E G B

Normal nomenclature will indicate what the chord is, such as G is G major, C is C major but E minor is shown Em, E seven is shown E7.

If you do not conform to the normal rules then whilst you know what you mean there can easily be misunderstanding in others of your intentions.

Hope this helps.

 

[SeaGtGruff]

It's neither E Major nor E Minor. I'd say it's either A Major or F# Minor.