Do you like playing in 'bigger' keys

Forums Rules

A shortened version of the Forums Rules is given below. The full version can be found here.

By maintaining a user account and by posting to these forums, you hereby agree to abide by these rules.

FORUMS RULES - A SNAPSHOT
- Stay safe - protect your privacy and respect the privacy of others
- No abusive, offensive or aggressive postings
- No insults or personal attacks
- No foul language
- No trolling
- No inappropriate or illegal material
- No advertising (including "For Sale" or "Wanted" adverts)
- No crossposting
- No forum spamming
- No defamatory comments
- Avoid using jargon, abbreviations or "text talk"

Do you like playing in 'bigger' keys, ie five and above ?

Options

fsharpminor	Mar 12 2012, 09:22 AM Post #1
Maestro Group: Members Posts: 12233 Joined: 7-June 06 From: Wirral (originally Keighley, Yorks) Member No.: 7089	As an offshoot from Aaaagh thread, I have always liked the challenge for playing in 5,6,7 sharps/flat keys. Once you do sort out the notes, its no different from any other key, but some people just shy away from those keys. Having said that I always have some trouble with G#minor for some reason , the others dont faze me. What does everone else think ?

jazzycat	Mar 12 2012, 10:49 AM Post #2
Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 865 Joined: 13-March 09 Member No.: 58803	I don't think I'm too bothered by how many sharps and flats there are in the key signature. What threw me once was when I had learned number 3 from WTC book 1, in C sharp major. My then piano teacher suggested that I try playing from his Orlando Morgan edition, which had number 3 in D flat major. He thought it was much easier in D flat (IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif)

Maizie	Mar 12 2012, 11:28 AM Post #3
Virtuoso Group: Members Posts: 4862 Joined: 5-February 07 From: Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire Member No.: 9360	Being made to sight-read in Ab minor was a bit of a pig, but my teacher said I did not too badly (evidently all his students get this joy at some stage!!) It did make the following new piece in Eb minor seem somewhat easier. For preference I'd currently take flats over sharps, but probably only three of them for choice (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blush.gif) Hmm, perhaps some time for extreme key learning - probably useful as these are always the scales I find hardest, minor extremes (thinking of G# minor as Ab minor doesn't help me!!) Then those moderate ones with only 4 or 5 will seem much easier, I'm sure. Mind you, I'm struggling with a D major piece at the moment, so unused to sharps, and suddenly you've got to remember C# every time...and as for that bloomin' top F#, makes me fall over (treble recorderists generally knee stop this note, i.e. cover end of recorder with leg, leading to wobbly balancing act). Perhaps I should share this, which has been doing the rounds on FB: (IMG:http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/429332_131130707012749_100003474608356_125307_63780920_n.jpg)

Misterioso	Mar 12 2012, 11:42 AM Post #4
Virtuoso Group: Members Posts: 3133 Joined: 18-July 07 From: Outer Hebrides Member No.: 13351	On violin (begun aged 9, so early enough to just absorb what went where) and piano (where you can see the sharps/flats) I wouldn't be too bothered. But flute is another matter altogether. Lots of flats/sharps in scales are okay, because one learns the pattern and then it's sorted. But in pieces, I shy away from anything in more than three of either variety, because I have to think, before I play it, where to find it. I think this is something to do with having been an adult learner on this instrument; it's probably never going to feel as "natural" as violin. Oh wow - just seen Maizie's post!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ohmy.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ill.gif) QUOTE(Maizie @ Mar 12 2012, 11:28 AM) For preference I'd currently take flats over sharps, but probably only three of them for choice (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blush.gif) Agree about the number - but I would take sharps over flats. For some reason, it seems easier to think "more" rather than "less". Does that make sense? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif) By the way, Maizie, how big is the recorder?

fsharpminor	Mar 12 2012, 11:49 AM Post #5
Maestro Group: Members Posts: 12233 Joined: 7-June 06 From: Wirral (originally Keighley, Yorks) Member No.: 7089	QUOTE(Maizie @ Mar 12 2012, 11:28 AM) Being made to sight-read in Ab minor was a bit of a pig, but my teacher said I did not too badly (evidently all his students get this joy at some stage!!) It did make the following new piece in Eb minor seem somewhat easier. For preference I'd currently take flats over sharps, but probably only three of them for choice (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blush.gif) Hmm, perhaps some time for extreme key learning - probably useful as these are always the scales I find hardest, minor extremes (thinking of G# minor as Ab minor doesn't help me!!) Then those moderate ones with only 4 or 5 will seem much easier, I'm sure. Mind you, I'm struggling with a D major piece at the moment, so unused to sharps, and suddenly you've got to remember C# every time...and as for that bloomin' top F#, makes me fall over (treble recorderists generally knee stop this note, i.e. cover end of recorder with leg, leading to wobbly balancing act). Perhaps I should share this, which has been doing the rounds on FB: (IMG:http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/429332_131130707012749_100003474608356_125307_63780920_n.jpg) Saw it on FB too, please play it for me tomorrow !

Pixie*Porsche	Mar 12 2012, 12:20 PM Post #6
Virtuoso Group: Members Posts: 2687 Joined: 19-April 06 Member No.: 6685	I don't mind up to six #'s and b's on piano but HATE it on clarinet / saxophone!

Aquarelle	Mar 12 2012, 01:32 PM Post #7
Virtuoso Group: Members Posts: 4432 Joined: 5-April 07 Member No.: 10531	Thank you Maizie - I now have the utlimate in sight reading torture for any pupil who has annoyed me! I wonder how long it will take them to realise what the tune is!!!

dolce@piano	Mar 12 2012, 01:38 PM Post #8
Prodigy Group: Members Posts: 1575 Joined: 26-November 08 Member No.: 46163	QUOTE(Aquarelle @ Mar 12 2012, 02:32 PM) Thank you Maizie - I now have the utlimate in sight reading torture for any pupil who has annoyed me! I wonder how long it will take them to realise what the tune is!!! Yep, thanks from me too - never seen that before. It's actually quite fun (in a twisted sort of way). I have one very maths-y 15 year-old who'll proabably quite like that.

linda.ff	Mar 12 2012, 02:01 PM Post #9
Virtuoso Group: Members Posts: 2847 Joined: 4-January 11 Member No.: 183500	QUOTE(dolce@piano @ Mar 12 2012, 01:38 PM) QUOTE(Aquarelle @ Mar 12 2012, 02:32 PM) Thank you Maizie - I now have the utlimate in sight reading torture for any pupil who has annoyed me! I wonder how long it will take them to realise what the tune is!!! Yep, thanks from me too - never seen that before. It's actually quite fun (in a twisted sort of way). I have one very maths-y 15 year-old who'll proabably quite like that. It's actually quite a good piece to show eo explain why we might say Ab sometimes and G# at others - the tune in seen to go up when actually it goes down, and vice versa!

Lee King	Mar 12 2012, 02:53 PM Post #10
Advanced Member Group: Banned Posts: 349 Joined: 15-February 12 From: Das Land ohne Musik Member No.: 405979	QUOTE(Pixie*Porsche @ Mar 12 2012, 12:20 PM) I don't mind up to six #'s and b's on piano but HATE it on clarinet / saxophone! Blimey? Do I have Kryptonites for friends!!!!!!!

corenfa	Mar 12 2012, 03:22 PM Post #11
Virtuoso Group: Members Posts: 4218 Joined: 28-March 10 From: Here Member No.: 95861	I do OK with C# major: the problem is with double flats and double sharps. I worked really hard on WTC book I No. 3 - the Fugue was such a pig to read, it took months of reading to get it into my head because of the double flats and double sharps. It still isn't quite there yet.

ansatz496	Mar 12 2012, 04:04 PM Post #12
Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 361 Joined: 28-January 12 From: Across the pond Member No.: 396486	I'm not a huge fan either way, but these key signatures are definitely much easier to deal with on piano than other instruments. Up to 5 flats or sharps is no problem, 6 is annoying but doable, and 7 is just unnecessary (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif) I think this is the main reason I never bothered to learn Evocacion from Iberia (Ab minor)...

fsharpminor	Mar 12 2012, 04:13 PM Post #13
Maestro Group: Members Posts: 12233 Joined: 7-June 06 From: Wirral (originally Keighley, Yorks) Member No.: 7089	QUOTE(ansatz496 @ Mar 12 2012, 04:04 PM) I'm not a huge fan either way, but these key signatures are definitely much easier to deal with on piano than other instruments. Up to 5 flats or sharps is no problem, 6 is annoying but doable, and 7 is just unnecessary (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif) I think this is the main reason I never bothered to learn Evocacion from Iberia (Ab minor)... I do like playing the A flat minor bit in Beethoven Op26! I dont think I know another piece in that key. As I said earlier the Bach WTC's in G# major I do find difficult. The 'Shost' P & F Op87 in that key is nigh impossible, even the lady for whom it was written (Tatyana Nikolayeva) died whilst playing it in New York !

Susie	Mar 13 2012, 09:54 AM Post #14
Virtuoso Group: Members Posts: 4223 Joined: 25-May 05 From: Suburbia Member No.: 3747	I prefer lots of flats to lots of sharps. My brain has always worked this way for some reason. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

Little Elf	Mar 13 2012, 12:34 PM Post #15
Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 703 Joined: 30-March 09 Member No.: 60592	QUOTE(fsharpminor @ Mar 12 2012, 04:13 PM) The 'Shost' P & F Op87 in that key is nigh impossible, even the lady for whom it was written (Tatyana Nikolayeva) died whilst playing it in New York ! that's impressive... music so difficult it kills you. Starting to worry about looking at grade 6 pieces now (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

« Next Oldest · Viva Piano · Next Newest »