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The problem with practicing in all 12 keys
- Thread starter nonohmic
- Start date
Also for improvisation. I'm a better improviser in Gb major than I am in F# majorI used to study with Anthony Wellington (of Victor Wooten fame). He told me to practice in all 15 keys. When I questioned him, he replied that there are 7 sharps, 7 flats and the key of C. So yeah, a few enharmonic keys, but when sight-reading, it actually makes sense.
I guess it’s a useful thing to do all 15-22 keys but I focus on the most often used, particularly those that aren’t guitar friendly as I’ve spent a lifetime and a half doing those. So Eflat, Bflat and Aflat are my primary add ons these days.
Recently I began triads going and up and down an octave starting on the fifth-one-three. I am training my ear/left hand on a fretless and breaking away from the root as the first note goes against 50 years of doing it that way. My chambered Godin Ultra 4 makes it easy to hear.
Recently I began triads going and up and down an octave starting on the fifth-one-three. I am training my ear/left hand on a fretless and breaking away from the root as the first note goes against 50 years of doing it that way. My chambered Godin Ultra 4 makes it easy to hear.
One quibble - in sight reading it doesn’t matter, as not all of those 15 keys get used as key signatures. You never see double sharps or flats in a key signature.I used to study with Anthony Wellington (of Victor Wooten fame). He told me to practice in all 15 keys. When I questioned him, he replied that there are 7 sharps, 7 flats and the key of C. So yeah, a few enharmonic keys, but when sight-reading, it actually makes sense.
Like G# major; it’s not the kind of key you’d see in a key signature. It would only likely occur after some crazy modulation in a piece of music.
If the piece just started in that key, the enharmonic equivalent Ab would be used instead.
Interesting, where’s the keys of E and A? Those are far more common in my experience than F in guitar bands! Is everyone playing in dropped tunings now?
I acknowledged my (tequila-influenced) stupidity in post #19.
I’m going through a Jeff Berlin method right now and there are 16 of each exercise. So 7-7 and C and Bb. The enharmonics have a lot of double flats. He does provide courtesy accidentals, but no key signatures.I used to study with Anthony Wellington (of Victor Wooten fame). He told me to practice in all 15 keys. When I questioned him, he replied that there are 7 sharps, 7 flats and the key of C. So yeah, a few enharmonic keys, but when sight-reading, it actually makes sense.
Actually, all 15 of them could be so used (even if not all are employed frequently), because they don't involve double sharps/flats in the key sig.
Keys with sharps: G, D, A, E, B, F#, C#
Keys with flats: F, Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb, Cb
Admittedly, C# and Cb are not at all common, but they exist. See Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier for C# major. And I believe I recall someone on this forum (maybe Mushroo?) once mentioning that Cb is not infrequenty found in, of all things, harp music. Go figure.
I’d add the keys of E A B at least. Than you have 7 keys for which the E string is the lowest pitch.
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They could be used; but G# major will never be a key signature, which was my point. The op I was replying to mentioned learning them as key signatures. G# major would be noted with accidentals in the music. I have never seen a double sharp in a key signature.
I have had a lot of discussions where people here equate key signature and key, which I feel is absolutely incorrect. Two different things.
I think that may have been a misunderstanding, but never mind; the points have been made.
I agree 100% about keys not being the same as key signatures. I've been saying that for a while now, here! A key signature is just a notational convenience; what defines a key, if in fact a key is clearly established, is what the harmony is actually doing. You could write a piece in any key in any key signature, or none at all, if you wanted to take the trouble of doing it. Ideally, the key sig reflects the key, because that makes some things easier, but the key is made by the harmony.
If it moves but it shouldn't, use duct tape. If doesn't move but it should, WD-40.
I propose that we rename "key signature" to something like "notation signature." This would eliminate nearly all of the confusion, methinks.
