I can't decide which I hate more, sharps or flats. Coming from a brass instrument background I have no problem with reading flats and I always prefer to see 'b' written instead of '#', except when it comes to F#. That is a glorious note; much easier on the eyes than Gb.

What do you think? Is C# a horrible note?

It's not a C#, it's an Ebbb because it's the b3rd of a Cbbmin chord. :(

For me it's quite the opposite, when I was playing sax, I thought that sharps where way less confusing than flats. It's weird but For example I knew right away what my fingering was for C# but if I saw Db I had to put some thought into it to remember where it was.

The exeption was the Bb I always liked to see it way more than A#

Maybe it was because that on sax to finger a sharp note you have to finger the normal note and add a key, when I saw a flat I had to think of the note before it.

When I was a guitarist I liked sharp keys because I played in them so much. These days I like like flat keys, no particular reason just seem easier to think and read in. Also playing more Jazz these days I'm playing flat keys more often.

I always seem to associate flats to minor keys, and I like to play in minor keys, so I prefer flats over sharps.

when playing upright #s are definitely better for me. It's way easier to, on the fly, move up a step than down a step and stay intonated.

I hated flats and I had problems reading music in 3b, 4b, 5b etc until I started playing in a Big Band. 40% of the numbers are in 5b or 3b and I have to sightread all of them so it helped a lot. Now I'm having troubles with sharps :P
Though it's still the easiest to improvise in D or G.

I think in flats WAY easier than sharps. I really dislike reading in keys of four sharps and higher, it can be real drag. I'll take a Db over C# any day.

For me it's quite the opposite, when I was playing sax, I thought that sharps where way less confusing than flats. It's weird but For example I knew right away what my fingering was for C# but if I saw Db I had to put some thought into it to remember where it was.

The exeption was the Bb I always liked to see it way more than A#

Maybe it was because that on sax to finger a sharp note you have to finger the normal note and add a key, when I saw a flat I had to think of the note before it.

Well, I know alto players definitely like sharps better. They kind of have to - concert C is concert A, three sharps. Reading Eb scores is annoying.

It depends. For some reason, this is the ultimate chromatic scale for me:

E, F, F#, G, G#, A, Bb, H, C, C#, D, Eb, E



:hiding:

I'm less comfortable reading a Gb than a F#, or D# than a Eb. I don't know why, but I think it has something to do with me being terrible at reading sheet music. I hardly ever do that.

When I write a chord chart, I stick to either flats or sharps though, depending on the key of the song.

equally comfortable with either, I suppose, but my reading level ain't too high.

One peave of mine tho is when somebody hands me a set of chords for a song that indiscriminately mixes flats and sharps, chromaticism aside. Like when the Ebmaj of the verse becomes an D#maj in the chorus...unnecessary confusion...I generally like to write out my own charts cuz of this.

in most situations, a flat root beats a sharp root, because it is more often in key. that is unless your playing phrygian

I always use sharps.

It depends. For some reason, this is the ultimate chromatic scale for me:

E, F, F#, G, G#, A, Bb, H, C, C#, D, Eb, E

I'm pretty sure that's 'cause those are the notes of Bb major through A major, the six least accidentalized keys...

It depends. For some reason, this is the ultimate chromatic scale for me:

E, F, F#, G, G#, A, Bb, H, C, C#, D, Eb, E



:hiding:

I'm less comfortable reading a Gb than a F#, or D# than a Eb. I don't know why, but I think it has something to do with me being terrible at reading sheet music. I hardly ever do that.

When I write a chord chart, I stick to either flats or sharps though, depending on the key of the song.

I never knew there was an H in the chromatic scale. ;)

SHARPS. when i played trumpet, reading a sharp note was very annoying.

That's like asking which letter of the alphabet or which number do you like more.

HARTY HAR HAR
:rollno::scowl::bawl::crying::atoz::(:eyebrow:

and i shall reply verily, W and 10. what you don't have favorites?

I personally like the number 23, but that's just getting off topic.

I was a Saxaphonist before I was a bassist...so sharps are better for me. I think the most flats we ever had in the school band was 3...no more, ever.

I stand corrected. Apparently you CAN have favorite letters and numbers. OK, carry on.

I can't believe you guys are posting in this thread that I started as a satire of the other lame topics that have showed up recently.

Anyway, carry on. This is amusing.

A sharp nail caused my tire to go flat. Sharps are way cooler that flats

It's not a C#, it's an Ebbb because it's the b3rd of a Cbbmin chord. :(

Hee.

I never knew there was an H in the chromatic scale. ;)
It's a really stupid thing taught to every German musician...

you know why? Some time ago, somebody meant to write b (B, actually), but somehow ended up with h and the Germans settled with that... I HATE IT. Mainly because it's illogical. There's no H between A and C.

Didnt know the Finnish use that, too...

ontopic: I love flats. Sharps just dont do it for me...

I can't believe you guys are posting in this thread that I started as a satire of the other lame topics that have showed up recently.

Anyway, carry on. This is amusing.

Satire by exaggeration can never mimic actual sentiment, otherwise its not satire. That's why the New Yorker cover "satirizing" Obama was such a failure, some people actually believed that stereotype.

Also, I like double flats better than double sharps.

A sharp nail caused my tire to go flat.Oh my! Hoping you didn't have a bad accidental :eek:

Also, I like double flats better than double sharps.

Arbitrary.

i always loved flats because i played trumpet through most of my high school years... but when it comes to bass i really don't mind either.

but i think everyone hates the "singers" keys that have a kajillion sharps or flats in them!!!

I like how everyone answered this thread seriously until onlyclave said it was a joke, now everyone's trying to make jokes to show they got it ;)

Arbitrary.

Paradigm of the tonal continuum!

I like how everyone answered this thread seriously until onlyclave said it was a joke, now everyone's trying to make jokes to show they got it ;)

Duh, cuz that makes us cool then.

RAKING IS BETTER.

I hate reading sharps.

some notes should be sharp and some should be flat. haha

C, Db (C#), D, Eb, E, F, F#, G, Ab, A, Bb, B.

The C# is an exception. I don't mind C#, or F#.

I'm pretty sure that's 'cause those are the notes of Bb major through A major, the six least accidentalized keys...

Yeah, I that seems like a reasonable explanation. I thought something among those lines as well.

I never knew there was an H in the chromatic scale. ;)

Well, at least in Scandinavia there has a long time been a stupid tradition to use H and B instead of B and Bb, respectively. So, to eliminate any eventual misunderstandings, I use Bb and H. I think this changing gradually to the worldwide more well-known system, though.

I feel like we should discuss how we see the chromatic scale now. Here's how I see it:

C, C#, D, Eb, E, F, F#, G, Ab, A, Bb, B

And I never knew it was a joke. I was totally sure the OP was serious. Totally.

Well, at least in Scandinavia there has a long time been a stupid tradition to use H and B instead of B and Bb, respectively. So, to eliminate any eventual misunderstandings, I use Bb and H. I think this changing gradually to the worldwide more well-known system, though.

In Germany it's like that too. There is a whole thing about how used his name as a motif in the piece that he wrote when he died.

I prefer flarps and shats.

I feel like we should discuss how we see the chromatic scale now. Here's how I see it:

C, C#, D, Eb, E, F, F#, G, Ab, A, Bb, B



Assuming a chromatic scale notated in the key of C (no sharps or flats):

Ascending:

C, C#, D, D#, E, F, F#, G, G#, A, A#, B

Descending:

C, B, Bb, A, Ab, G, Gb, F, E, Eb, D, Db

If you're reading notation you wouldn't have to read an accidental and then immediately after read a cancelled accidental.

I haven't been keeping up on TB lately so it could be that I'm falling in to a trap to become the blunt of the joke. :hiding: A thread based on the notion that some are more comfortable with flats or sharps seems legit to me.

I haven't been keeping up on TB lately so it could be that I'm falling in to a trap to become the blunt of the joke. :hiding: A thread based on the notion that some are more comfortable with flats or sharps seems legit to me.

Nope, you fell into the trap. :D

Oh my! Hoping you didn't have a bad accidental :eek:

:D

I can't believe you guys are posting in this thread that I started as a satire of the other lame topics that have showed up recently.

Anyway, carry on. This is amusing.

you know i saw the title of this thread and i just had to open it to make sure i understood. then i read most of it and thought "this is the most ridiculous thread ever...how did someone even ask this question? AND have people respond."

i hope the majority of you are joking.

Nope, you fell into the trap. :D

Dang, it's the story of my life! What the hell, I'm here to entertain.:cool:

you know i saw the title of this thread and i just had to open it to make sure i understood. then i read most of it and thought "this is the most ridiculous thread ever...how did someone even ask this question? AND have people respond."

i hope the majority of you are joking.

If you thought THIS was the most ridiculous thread ever you should have a look around TB. But not to worry, you're now in the circle of hip people who *get* the joke. I'm going to stick with the crowd (if any) who think the idea that some are more comfortable with sharps or flats is a legit topic of conversation. At least until I figure out what I'm missing here.

For me it's quite the opposite, when I was playing sax, I thought that sharps where way less confusing than flats. It's weird but For example I knew right away what my fingering was for C# but if I saw Db I had to put some thought into it to remember where it was.

The exeption was the Bb I always liked to see it way more than A#

Maybe it was because that on sax to finger a sharp note you have to finger the normal note and add a key, when I saw a flat I had to think of the note before it.

+1 i couldnt agree more.

I stand corrected. Apparently you CAN have favorite letters and numbers.

Yes, that has been deemed acceptable. On the other hand, favorite colors...

The only thing worse than F# major to me is C# major. I utterly despise looking down at sheet music and seeing 5+ sharps in the key signature.

The reason I have a problem with it is probably because I'm so used to playing a Bb instrument and reading in bass clef. Seems to me that composers/arrangers know better than to give sharps to trombone players.

you know i saw the title of this thread and i just had to open it to make sure i understood. then i read most of it and thought "this is the most ridiculous thread ever...how did someone even ask this question? AND have people respond."

i hope the majority of you are joking.

I don't see why this couldn't be a relevant topic if you read a lot of sheet music.

In Germany it's like that too. There is a whole thing about how used his name as a motif in the piece that he wrote when he died.
About who? You mean Bach, right? He's the only one I remember to have done that....

anyway, h sucks

I don't care.

The only thing worse than F# major to me is C# major. I utterly despise looking down at sheet music and seeing 5+ sharps in the key signature.

I know what you mean. I cringe whenever I see a song in C# major.

And what's all thing about joking? :confused: I'm totally serious in all my posts. :p