Ever wonder what's really going on musically in “Layla” by Derek and the Dominos?
In this Riff Theory breakdown, I go deep into the chords, keys, scales, and secret theory tricks that make “Layla” such a legendary classic.
We’ll cover:
⦿ How the song shifts between three keys
⦿ How Clapton uses the D minor and C# minor tonal centers
⦿ That gorgeous melodic minor moment in the outro...& more!
This one’s packed with classic rock theory, practical examples, and tips you can use in your own songwriting or jamming.
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0:00 Intro
1:41 Key changes in Layla explained
3:00 Chorus analysis
4:00 F major scale chords breakdown
5:01 How the verse modulates
8:00 D minor pentatonic vs. natural minor
10:06 Key of E major chord theory
12:00 Relative minor & borrowed chords
15:00 Flat VI & flat VII explained
17:30 Modal interchange example
20:00 Diatonic vs borrowed chord review
21:00 Outro / coda theory (C major with a twist)
23:00 F melodic minor chord & scale explained
26:00 Final tips + resolution tricks
27:30 Outro & free bonus links