Key Preference

[comfyc]

Silly question but just curious! Also to be enharmonically impartial, I just listed them as listed in Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier.

[nocturnetr]

I don't have one, really depends on the piece, but I like G#m, Am, Gm, Dm, Cm, Bbm and C#m the best. But I'll stick with G#m for the poll, since the first piece I have ever written and the first piece I had ever been in love with was in G#m.

[outin]

The key doesn't really matter when listening, but my favorite key to play is e-minor.

[j_menz]

Why can't I vote for Cb minor? 

[ajspiano]

Why can't I vote for Cb minor? 

I think we've perhaps exhausted that discussion at one point or another.

[chopin2015]

d-flat minor...<3

[chopin2015]

No, but you really could have included D-flat major...

[j_menz]

I think we've perhaps exhausted that discussion at one point or another.

Oh please. It's not like rank the Chopin Etudes.

[ajspiano]

Oh please. It's not like rank the Chopin Etudes.

fine.

Because the difference between enharmonic keys can not be determined aurally, and so for the purposes of the OP's question may be considered to be identical..

given that he said that "enharmonically impartial" bit, about how they are just listed as in the WTC.

[j_menz]

fine.

Because the difference between enharmonic keys can not be determined aurally, and so for the purposes of the OP's question may be considered to be identical..

given that he said that "enharmonically impartial" bit, about how they are just listed as in the WTC.

OP didn't specify favourite to listen to. I was going for favourite to play. And for that, they aren't the same at all.

[ajspiano]

OP didn't specify favourite to listen to. I was going for favourite to play. And for that, they aren't the same at all.

to be enharmonically impartial, I just listed them as listed in Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier.

this either implies that enharmonics are to be treated as equal, aurally. Or that Cb minor is an acceptable answer, which you can vote for because B minor is listed - with an appended reply to the thread that you prefer to think of it as Cb minor. I see no reason to complain.

[j_menz]

Or that Cb minor is an acceptable answer, which you can vote for because B minor is listed - with an appended reply to the thread that you prefer to think of it as Cb minor. I see no reason to complain.

There are no double flats in B minor. Where's the sense of triumph?

[ajspiano]

There are no double flats in B minor. Where's the sense of triumph?

Whether sight reading, playing from memory or improvising I don't think I put any concious effort toward using the specifics of the key signature in any key. They are just there, physical memory.

The only time my brain conquers a sharp (or double flat if that at all makes me feel better) is when its an accidental and I'm sight reading.

[j_menz]

The only time my brain conquers a sharp (or double flat if that at all makes me feel better) is when its an accidental and I'm sight reading.

I was referring to sight reading, and double flats are always accidentals. The use of "conquers" gives you away.

[ajspiano]

I was referring to sight reading, and double flats are always accidentals. The use of "conquers" gives you away.

I take it you've forgotten about these..



And anyway, most times with double flats, while they are accidentals they are not necessarily unexpected but rather reflect either a chromatic passage - which may be read as a whole without actively processing the individual, or reflect a modulation to a key meaning that the physical shape of patterns is again, predictable, without concious reference to the individual note name.

[j_menz]

I take it you've forgotten about these..



And anyway, most times with double flats, while they are accidentals they are not necessarily unexpected but rather reflect either a chromatic passage - which may be read as a whole without actively processing the individual, or reflect a modulation to a key meaning that the physical shape of patterns is again, predictable, without concious reference to the individual note name.

I was referring to accidentals in modulations (hence the Cb minor). I know they're predictable, but I just like them.

[chopin2015]

fine.

Because the difference between enharmonic keys can not be determined aurally, and so for the purposes of the OP's question may be considered to be identical..

given that he said that "enharmonically impartial" bit, about how they are just listed as in the WTC.

What? I think that there is a difference, aurally. You can't resolve with a c-sharp minor chord, but you can resolve with a d flat minor because it is the parallel key of d flat major. 

No, seriously. There is a theoretical reason why pieces are ended in a "theoretic" key. It may not work in the same way as in theory, but I suppose a trained ear could establish the difference in a completely unresolved phrase and an at least partially or "theoretically" resolved". But I am just making things up, here.   

[maitea]

I've always had a "thing" for minor keys, specially d minor and g minor. I also find f minor very appealing. And I see them as dark green, dark red (burgundy) and purple respectively.

[blazekenny]

I love B flat major the most

[ted]

This is an intriguing question because of the different reasons people like a particular key. Only a small percentage of people know what key they are listening to, so I suspect most of the reasons are haptic, visual, notational or perhaps by association with a piece they like. I think I can say that these days one is as good as another for me, and most of the music I create now does not use keys as such anyway. However, flicking through the large pile of my more common practice compositions from my youth, I find a disproportionate number are in Db major and E major. So perhaps I did once have favourites, although I never consciously thought about them as such.

[dima_76557]

Key Preference

For the time being, the dark and mysterious E flat minor is my favorite: WTC 1 - Prelude No. 8 that is.

(This recording sounds like E minor. Just try it yourself on your piano and see how powerful it is). Also Rachmaninoff's Elegie (op 3 no 1) is in that key.

[gyzzzmo]

On my own piano, i dont care what key i play. But on some piano's some keys just seem to sound better.

[ajspiano]

This is an intriguing question because of the different reasons people like a particular key. Only a small percentage of people know what key they are listening to, so I suspect most of the reasons are haptic, visual, notational or perhaps by association with a piece they like. I think I can say that these days one is as good as another for me, and most of the music I create now does not use keys as such anyway. However, flicking through the large pile of my more common practice compositions from my youth, I find a disproportionate number are in Db major and E major. So perhaps I did once have favourites, although I never consciously thought about them as such.

When I was about 15 I remember jamming with a group and asking the sax player what the key of the jam was.. to which he responded "I dont play in keys" ... at the time a thought this was one of the dumbest things id ever heard. Though ofcourse I've come to realise that thinking in keys can be avoided even if the sound can be described as in a certain key...  seems to be an improvisers domain though.

[maitea]

I do hear keys..

But also, because the limitations of the instruments at the time (not only the piano), and also the preceding affetti theory, composers have had their traditions (or conventions) to use a key or other... I find the subject interesting

[kakeithewolf]

I have two types of favourites. One is F-Sharp Minor (or G-flat Minor), which is a key I hold quite dear. The other type is any that use all the black keys. The former I use to express the darker, and the latter I use to express the lighter.

[picsatsofron]

Flat keys are my favorite, and so few are listed here. (and yes there is a huge difference between sharp keys and flat keys even if they are enharmonically the same, just ask any string player) D-flat major is my favorite, far less frightening than C-sharp major. Also I think it was Janacek's favorite key (or perhaps D-flat major was his favorite chord) and I do love his music. Runner up would be A-flat, or E-flat minor.

[mjames]

F flat minor

[coda_colossale]

Flat keys are my favorite, and so few are listed here. (and yes there is a huge difference between sharp keys and flat keys even if they are enharmonically the same, just ask any string player) D-flat major is my favorite, far less frightening than C-sharp major. Also I think it was Janacek's favorite key (or perhaps D-flat major was his favorite chord) and I do love his music. Runner up would be A-flat, or E-flat minor.

I think it was also Rachmaninoff and Chopin's favourite key. (Or one of their favourites)

I like keys with lots of sharps. C# minor, G# minor, F# major...

[alistaircrane4]

a flat major is my favorite. but i like c sharp minor,f sharp major, d flat major, a major, and e minor

[khantallis123]

I don't have one, really depends on the piece, but I like G#m, Am, Gm, Dm, Cm, Bbm and C#m the best. But I'll stick with G#m for the poll, since the first piece I have ever written and the first piece I had ever been in love with was in G#m.

La Campanella?   

[coda_colossale]

La Campanella?   

Why not Rachmaninoff Prelude

[jimbo320]

Don't know why but the key of D right next to middle C sounds good to me...

[jlskiles]

how about you change G# major to Ab major so we dont have to vote for a key that only exists theoretically.

[kakeithewolf]

how about you change G# major to Ab major so we dont have to vote for a key that only exists theoretically.

Theoretical keys need some love too.

[stevensk]

The key the pieces are written

[kakeithewolf]

As of recently, I have starting gravitating towards F, A, G minor in terms of key preference.

[stevensk]

As of recently, I have starting gravitating towards F, A, G minor in terms of key preference.

So, you play Moonlight sonata in G minor?