What key and why??

[rattley]

Hello hello!

Is it me or do some songs sound better when played in a different key?  I play full finger AI all the time. Even though I could play single finger I always thought early on that I would never learn actual chords if I played single finger all the time.


I used to play in the key of C almost all the time. Why not?  It's the easiest.  Lately I've playing country styles in the key of G.  I think they sound better.  In fact I have experimented playing different styles in different keys. I have noticed that some styles accompianment patterns change as the key is changed. Some of the basslines can vary as the style changes keys. The root bass notes can vary from key to key using the same style. I hope I'm describing this accurately.

Most of the time these changes are subtle but noticeable. Try playing around with key signatures. They can sometimes change the feel of the style.  -charley

[Strideplayer]

For me, it depends on the song and the style. I am a life long pianoplayer - if I play with jazz bands it's mostly in flats because of the horns.  If country it goes to G, even E or A, keys I can barely play in.

But, I agree, a song can sound different in another key. If I play by myself for my own amazement, I tend to play ragtime or honky tonk in C or F.  When in a softer mood, my favorite key, to my ears at least, is Eb. I couldn't think of playing Ain't misbehavin' in any other key.

Cheers,
Strideplayer

[mikf]

There are many reasons that can affect the key choice. Some of them have already been mentioned here -
- some things sound better in different keys
- choice to suit other instruments,
- singer's range,
- ease of playing,
- convention with some genres eg rock music or country is frequently in sharp keys because of heavy use of guitars, big band music is typically in flat keys because of heavy use of horns, piano boogie woogie is nearly always in C
- the sheet music you have is written in a particular key
...etc etc .....
Of course, with modern electronic instruments, another interesting set of options arises. You can play in your most comfortable playing key and still get the some of benefits of different keys with a press of a transpose button!
Another interesting choice is choosing essentially the same key but writing it differently eg do you write a song in F# or Gb. Is one easier to read/write than the other??.
Decisions Decisions 
Two things are certain though,
- if you play solo most people will never be able to tell what what key you are playing in
- you will never be considered a good keyboard player by fellow musicians if you are not fairly comfortable playing in multiple keys
Mike

[Divemaster]

It's all down to practice, and although I can play quite a large number of chords, I play them 'by ear' and appearance, rather than by sight. I couldn't name them as chords, but I can read the notes... It's strange to explain, but is probably due to a brain fog descending on me if I pick up (and probably put down again) a piece of music written with say 5 Flats or Sharps.

And staves written with notes 4 or 5 levels above or below the normal 5 line music score. That truly baffles me.. I find that very difficult to read

I have to try harder! Practice practice practice! I may get there.... I may not... 😂

[acparker]

a piece of music written with say 5 Flats or Sharps.

A useful short cut for the 5's, is that you can substitute 2 for them, without changing the notes on the page.  Fore example, 5 flats (Key of Ab) can be played with 2 sharps (Key of D) Alternately, 5 sharps (Key of B) can be played with 2 flats (Key of Bb).
Edit: Forgot to say you'll have to rewrite in the guitar chords for the new key, if they're printed on the page.

Disclaimer:  I'm absolutely sure about subbing 2 sharps for 5 flats, cause I do that for "Gift Of Finest Wheat".  I haven't actually tried the other, but I'm pretty sure that's how the math works.

As for notes way above/below the staff,  I'm good for two ledger lines.  After that, I pencil the note name in.
Adam

[mikf]

A useful short cut for the 5's, is that you can substitute 2 for them, without changing the notes on the page.  Fore example, 5 flats (Key of Ab) can be played with 2 sharps (Key of D) Alternately, 5 sharps (Key of B) can be played with 2 flats (Key of Bb).........

Adam
I'm afraid I just don't get that. Let's say the first note of a song is C when played in Ab. That same first note would then be F# when played in D. How can that possibly be the same note on sheet music???
Mike

[travlin-easy]

Charlie, most country songs were either written in A, G, D and E. However, they were performed in the best key that the vocalist could master. And, as you are well aware, most country songs are vocals - very few were instrumentals. Other than Last Date, I cannot think of another, and I performed a lot of country music over the years.

Good luck, old friend,

Gary

[Fred Smith]

I play in whatever key is easiest for me (often C, but sometimes depends on the chord inversions I play), and get the keyboard to transpose it to a key which fits my vocal range.

Works for me.

Cheers,
Fred

[Toril S]

So do I.

[overover]

A useful short cut for the 5's, is that you can substitute 2 for them, without changing the notes on the page.  Fore example, 5 flats (Key of Ab) can be played with 2 sharps (Key of D) Alternately, 5 sharps (Key of B) can be played with 2 flats (Key of Bb). ...

Adam

Adam
I'm afraid I just don't get that. Let's say the first note of a song is C when played in Ab. That same first note would then be F# when played in D. How can that possibly be the same note on sheet music???
Mike

Hi Mike,

Five (5) flats means the key of Db (i.e. not the key of Ab as written by Adam above). I think Adam is pointing out that a song with a lot of flats or sharps can be easier to play by playing it one semitone higher or lower than it's originally written. For example, you could play a song that is written in the key of Db (5 flats) in D (2 sharps) or in C (no sharps/flats), or you could play a song in the key of C instead of B (5 sharps).


Best regards,
Chris

[mikf]

Thanks Chris, I had not noticed Adam's error, he obviously meant Db but stated Ab and I didn't read it fully enough to pick that up.
It's true of course that if you move any key in the direction of the same named note, then the notes on the sheet music will always look the same eg B/Bb , G/G# , C/C# etc. And it's also true that in a few cases this will result in much less sharps or flats in the key signature. So it's a reasonable tip.
Mike

[acparker]

Mea culpa, I wrote the wrong Key Signature.  I'm terribly sorry for the confusion.

(That's the trouble with posting first thing in the morning.) 

Adam Parker

Yes, I DO know how to read music.  M - U - S - I - C.  Longer words do give me problems, though.