survey--In what key is it the most difficult to pl

[janice]

Survey--In what key (preferrably major) is it the most difficult or awkward to play?  I cannot tolerate playing in the key of B-flat major.  The next worse one is E-flat major.  A-flat major is better still (so the more flats, the merrier--lol)

[Hmoll]

Depends on the piece, and how it fits your hands. Other than that, C major is the most difficult key.

[bernhard]

Hmoll is right.

Physically the most difficult key to play is C major, closely followed by the spare accidental ones, G major, F major, Bb major and D major. As the accidentals increase so does the facility with the easiest keys being the ones with most accidentals: B major, Gb major, and Db major. The reason is simple: they conform very well to the anatomy of the hand: the long fingers (234) play the black keys, the short fingers (15) play the white keys.

Most people freak out when they see heavy key signatures, but actually this is a problem only if you do not know your scales well, or if you follow the common teaching approach of learning C major first, then G major and so on and so forth. If you start learning scales with B major, Gb major, and Db major, and proceed from there by subtracting a sharp/flat, soon you will be so conversant with these scales that there should be no problem in either memorising/recognising black key pattern, or sight-reading through them.

Best wishes,
Bernhard.

[Tash]

i personally do not like G major or minor, or anything in G, and i had a thing against F for a while but am over that now. Which is kind of odd since whenever i had to compose something it tended to end up in G major. ye i think the flats are the best, i love Db/C# and Ab and Eb and F#, etc.! I find C better than G though.

[janice]

If you start learning scales with B major, Gb major, and Db major, and proceed from there by subtracting a sharp/flat,

Yes, I agree with this method of learning/teaching!  I think that it's best to start with D-flat major and G-flat major because the only difference between the two is which note to play when coming upon the white keys (do I play E or F? B or C?)

[ahmedito]

Yes... I agree with this method of teaching. Personally, I have huge problems with D major. I dont know why, but whenever I play arpegios I get freaked out by the unsimetric way the black keys are spread out.... and in scales, my hands dont find confortable the pass from b to c#... just something personal. I have similar problems with Bb major and A major, but D major is my one dreaded key.

[Derek]

It seems to me then that physical difficulties when playing the piano must be an exceedingly personal matter. Obviously there cannot be a single key that is most difficult to play in for everyone, as these posts demonstrate.

In my own experience I am finding it is simply a matter of how often I play in certain keys and how familiar I am with them. At this point there are no keys that I find particularly difficult to play in,  however I do agree with the above post that certain keys "fit the hands" because of the opposable thumb.

[thracozaag]

 I was originally embarrased to say that it was "C-major" but am glad to see a lot of people agree with me.

koji

[dj]

yes, after the piece is learned the key of C major is quite awkward to play in.....however, for learning pieces and sight reading, i really don't like c sharp major.....this is probably due to the fact that i am very familiar with Db major and my mind still stubbornly wants to treat them like the same key signature.

[Clare]

I've got a strange fear of F minor. I don't know why. It is my least favourite key to play, but I like it when other people play it.
C major is so hard for scales, because if you mess up slightly, the rest is likely to go out the window because there just aren't any reference points.