what's the most difficult key

bluesdogblues · #1 07-13-2011, 01:10 AM

Ok, it's time for a 'light' topic here:
what's the most difficult key for you to play/practice?
For me now, I found it's G#.
Man, it felt heavy for me, and I keep making mistake in that key compare to other keys, esp. in involving the open strings

So I'll practice more in G# as my priority for awhile.

Cheers

Melik · #2 07-13-2011, 01:34 AM

G# or C# for me

**Rune Bivrin** · #3 07-13-2011, 01:34 AM

Given that I rarely play the open strings all keys are equally difficult. The intervals are the same no matter what the root note is.

bluesdogblues · #4 07-13-2011, 01:41 AM

Yeah.. I practice the open strings in purpose to get better technique in them as well as the fretted notes.
You're right that fretted notes all relatively more equally hard/easy.

M.Wrenn · #5 07-13-2011, 01:44 AM

Cool part about playing a stringed instrument, especially one with a consistent tuning, all keys are equally hard/easy. My sax player always complains about hard keys and my first reaction is always "hard key?" then I switch brains and remember my brass playing and how hard improv'ing in weird keys in...

In short, we got nothing to complain about.

Marton · #6 07-13-2011, 01:48 AM

G# is pretty hard to read, as it doesn't really exist.

bluesdogblues · #7 07-13-2011, 01:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by M.Wrenn

Cool part about playing a stringed instrument, especially one with a consistent tuning, all keys are equally hard/easy. My sax player always complains about hard keys and my first reaction is always "hard key?" then I switch brains and remember my brass playing and how hard improv'ing in weird keys in...

In short, we got nothing to complain about.

Perhaps it's true for 'all fretted' notes. (still 'almost' true for me tho).
A bit more difficult for me in G# esp when involving the open strings.
I practice Strict Alternate Right Hand Fingering (Index - Middle) and I keep reversing my alternate right finger in the midway haha..

bluesdogblues · #8 07-13-2011, 01:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marton

G# is pretty hard to read, as it doesn't really exist.

??

anonymous122511 · #9 07-13-2011, 02:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bluesdogblues

??

There are sharp and flat keys. Four flats is Ab not G#.

**Rune Bivrin** · #10 07-13-2011, 02:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bluesdogblues

??

G♯ would be 8 sharps. I'd call it A♭, with 4 flats.

bluesdogblues · #11 07-13-2011, 02:35 AM

Ah yes I forgot, sorry

Sketchy · #12 07-13-2011, 04:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rune Bivrin

Given that I rarely play the open strings all keys are equally difficult. The intervals are the same no matter what the root note is.

+1. One reason I love playing bass over keys. I don't have to think which notes are in it, just which patten it is and starting where (which is much easier). I can work the rest out from there.

Having said that, I do seem to gravitate towards D minor. No idea why, I just like playing in it. Is it because it's the saddest of all keys?

Russell L · #13 07-13-2011, 06:09 AM

Reading-wise, gotta be Cb, for me. But, not much is written with 7 flats, so, whew.

I<34080 · #14 07-13-2011, 06:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Russell L

Reading-wise, gotta be Cb, for me. But, not much is written with 7 flats, so, whew.

C flat? Would that be B?

Russell L · #15 07-13-2011, 06:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by I<34080

C flat? Would that be B?

Yep, sound-wise. But B is technically a sharp key in which the sharps are FCGDA. Cb would have the flats BEADGCF. Same sound, but harder to think of, IMO.

Handyman · #16 07-13-2011, 08:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeff arddun

There are sharp and flat keys. Four flats is Ab not G#.

Its certainly normal to be in G# minor, which would have the same key signature as B major, as your diagram shows.

dvh · #17 07-13-2011, 08:14 AM

B major I find very awkward, especially on DB...

Do folks actually play a lot of songs in B maj/G min? Not much in my world.....

bluesdogblues · #18 07-13-2011, 08:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dvh

B major I find very awkward, especially on DB...

Do folks actually play a lot of songs in B maj/G min? Not much in my world.....

If I sing (esp my own song) usually the most comfortable key for me is B

Johnny StingRay · #19 07-13-2011, 08:21 AM

I hate playing in D major my five string. It either sounds too deep and if I switch up an octave, it sounds too high. For some reason I'm not comfortable playing halfway up and down. Eb, no problem. E, no problem. Even Db isn't too bad. For some reason, playing in D just never sounds right to me.

Russell L · #20 07-13-2011, 08:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Johnny StingRay

I hate playing in D major my five string. It either sounds too deep and if I switch up an octave, it sounds too high. For some reason I'm not comfortable playing halfway up and down. Eb, no problem. E, no problem. Even Db isn't too bad. For some reason, playing in D just never sounds right to me.

I love the key of D on guitar.

On another note (pun intended), at least on bass and guitar you can think in patterns, and just move around without having to always think of all the note names. That is, changing key doesn't always look different, other than being on another fret. I don't know how keyboard players do it when there are so many black notes to play. Every key looks and feels different on keyboard. I can play piano, but the fewer sharps and flats the better, for me.