Jerusalem Ridge in E Minor?

[Mike Arakelian]

I normally play Jerusalem Ridge in Am, but recently came across a rendition written out in Em. It seems like it plays a bit easier in Em, and sounds good as well. Does anybody else play it in Em, or is Am THE key?

[sblock]

Well, Am is THE key, in my experience. YMMV.

[farmerjones]

A 5th higher? I'd be in the rosin zone.
I plays it where Saint Kenny played it.

[drbluegrass]

I like A minor...as long as everyone else in the band is playing it in A minor.

[Roger Adams]

Nothing wrong with learning it in Em, but if you expect to play it in a Jam with fiddlers and other mandolins, it's going to be in AM.

[Bill Kammerzell]

I like A minor...as long as everyone else in the band is playing it in A minor.

I agree. The entire band in the same key and you're in tall cotton.

[Timbofood]

You can play anything anywhere, just be prepared to have to learn or teach everyone else where you want to.mi used to do “Monroe’s Hornpipe” in G then, I realized I’d made a mistake in not learning it in A (where written) the fingering is much more logical and the rest of the band just needs their capos!