Which key is the lowest?

KingRazor · #1 05-03-2011, 04:55 PM

I'm curious, what is the lowest key?

xxjazzbassist · #2 05-03-2011, 05:06 PM

There isn't really a "lowest" key. A key is just a collection of pitches. Now those pitches may be in higher or lower registers but there isn't really a "low" key. However, probably the lowest possible key to play in would be whatever note on a piano is lowest (i think its B so you could play in Bmajor or Bminor)
That help at all?

KingRazor · #3 05-03-2011, 05:15 PM

So you could say that whatever the lowest note that the lowest instrument in your band can play is the lowest key your band can play in? (ex: the low B on a 5-string bass)

Edit: Or maybe the lowest note your vocalist can hit?

Bread Knife · #4 05-03-2011, 05:18 PM

But that low B could be part of a song in a number of keys. Perhaps you want to hammer low notes while playing the V in the key of E. Still using the same low note.

I do think that a piano begins with A, if you prefer to limit things that way.

slybass3000 · #5 05-03-2011, 05:24 PM

LOL

I would say the one with 7 flats: Cb Maj or Ab minor. The darkest sound.

Mayers · #6 05-03-2011, 06:04 PM

And if you got a F# strings ... you could go as low as D an octave lower than low D of the B string hahaha

So ... there is no limit

Killspringer · #7 05-03-2011, 06:20 PM

Not sure what the lowest is, 1Hz would be somewhere between B and C, but it sure as hell ain't Eb.

Haha, this thread is awesome.

Muzoid · #8 05-03-2011, 06:24 PM

Geee....wayda confuse me on a tuesday bud - hahaha

The way I see it...there's always a lower key....infinitely...but eventually humans won't hear it....but whales might.

LowDown Hal · #9 05-03-2011, 06:27 PM

Key West

Orangeclawhamme · #10 05-03-2011, 10:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Muzoid

Geee....wayda confuse me on a tuesday bud - hahaha

The way I see it...there's always a lower key....infinitely...but eventually humans won't hear it....but whales might.

So might elephants.

Ric5 · #11 05-03-2011, 10:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KingRazor

I'm curious, what is the lowest key?

We measure music and notes as vibrations the scale is hertz.

The lowest a human can hear is 16 to 20hz.

16 hz is the C an octave below the 1st fret on your low B string. 20 hz is an octave below the low E string.

chuck3 · #12 05-03-2011, 10:40 PM

whatever key Johnny Cash was singing in.

Jazzdogg · #13 05-03-2011, 10:47 PM

Here's a graphic that shows relative pitches

vivifiction · #14 05-03-2011, 10:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LowDown Hal

Key West

lolz.

calebbarton · #15 05-03-2011, 10:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LowDown Hal

Key West

this

turbo chicken · #16 05-03-2011, 10:49 PM

how many strings do you have on your bass... and what are they tuned to?

gotta go with what the lowest key on a keyboard... what ever that is

Muzoid · #17 05-03-2011, 10:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jazzdogg

Here's a graphic that shows relative pitches

Awesome.....

Synth is King now.

Proud to be a keyboard player (as well as a bassist)

Wait a minute....the female voice, bassoon, bass clarinet, bass sax and bass guitar go higher than the piano?

huh?

HaVIC5 · #18 05-04-2011, 08:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jazzdogg

Here's a graphic that shows relative pitches

I know for a fact that a pipe organ can go way, way below bass guitar, that chart is suspect.

kreider204 · #19 05-04-2011, 09:01 AM

"Eb minor is the saddest of all keys ... "

Snarf · #20 05-04-2011, 02:06 PM

For instruments, there's really no such thing as a "lowest key."

However, if you break singers down into tenor/baritone/bass/soprano/alto/all the rest of the ways the voice gets categorized, you could actually say "This key is too low or too high for this soprano/alto/tenor/whatever" because of the way that the human voice is categorized. That's all dependent on the limitations of the singer in question.