What Key is Hey Joe in?

Summary by Krater

An analysis of the music theory behind Jimi Hendrix's 'Hey Joe,' explaining how its chord progression uses a plagal cascade around the circle of fifths in the key of E blues.

From the video

Answers: What key is Hey Joe in?

• music theory
• chord progressions
• circle of fifths
• blues tonality
• guitar tuning

What it concludes

• Hey Joe is built from a recurring loop of five major chords: C, G, D, A, and E.
• Jimi Hendrix's version of Hey Joe is in E major, but has chords borrowed from the parallel minor and uses a plagal cascade around the circle of fifths.
• The guitar is tuned in perfect fourths except for the major third between G and B strings, which allows for easier open-string chords.
• Hey Joe is not major or minor, but is in E blues, combining pentatonic melodies with major chords and blues notes.