I'm new to the flute, indeed new to any woodwind.

I recently noticed that when I pick up my flute to practice, the first note I play is almost invariably the lowest G. Since I'm already there I practice tone and breath control on the G. I practice the scales and arpeggios of G before moving on and when I feel the need to anchor myself after getting lost it is the G I return to. No idea why. No idea if it will last or if it just me being a beginner.

This observation made me wonder about the other instruments I play.

On Piano, if messing around, the first chord or arpeggio I go to most often is G too.

On guitar, my default chord is probably either C or D, though with guitar being basically a chord instrument and me being a pretty fair guitar picker (I think) there aren't many chords I can't play and I sometimes default to the opening chord for whichever song is in my head when I pick the guitar up (often a C maj 7 barred on the 3rd fret for the last few years)

Anyway, I wondered if anyone else had noticed a "favourite" default note or chord or position on their favourite instrument, and if so does anyone have any idea why?

on the piano, i like Db/C#. They're my best/favourite scales, and there's a lot of really nice pieces in their keys.

For recorder (treble), its either low G or F (treble). They sound the nicest as they are the lowest note, but also have easy scales, so they're the ones i play by 'default'

How really strange - I was thinking about this a short while ago when I was playing something and I nearly started a thread about it!


I'm studying Peacherine Rag (Joplin) and there's a particular note which always gives me a thrill but I don't know why! The note is A (below middle C) and it descends from D and goes back up to B. That's not normally a note I particularly notice - my favourite note is normally G# above middle C, so I can't understand why this A is standing out.

I'll be interested in any ideas why too

Organ: no noticeable preference yet, though I tend to romp through scales starting at C and either moving up in semitones or looping round the circle of 5ths. I don't necessarily start with scales, and I'm very shy about improvising at the keyboard, so it'll either be the first note of whatever I'm going to play first or a fairly random note/chord to check registration.

Flute: usually bottom D if I'm playing on my own. D is my favourite scale set and the one I'm most likely to warm-up on. G is probably second choice as a note, though not as a scale set. If I'm playing with someone else, probably an A to tune.

In general, across all instruments, I tend to like keys such as D and G majors, and D/G/E/A/B minors (I doubt that it's a co-incidence that that includes the relative and tonic minors of my preferred major keys). So if I'm just picking something up to noodle around on, there's a fair chance I'll start with a D or a G. Improvisation is more likely to be minor or modal than major.

T.

Third octave E. I end every practice session on a long third octave E! It just sounds so nice

The guitar was my first instrument - back in the mists of time - and the D and C chords were the first (and easiest) to play. Like you, these days I tend to play a barred chord - usually C or G (3rd fret) just because it's so easy to mess around with.

Piano, definitely C major, but I don't really play anymore.

With the clarinet, open G is traditionally the very first note you play because the fingers don't have to touch any keys, and it's a way of testing that the reed is working. By habit, I tend to play the very lowest note and go immediately to the highest altissimo note I can play. The low notes get the whole reed vibrating - and sounds great! - whereas the altiss notes tell me if the reed is okay or not, and besides, those notes always need practising!

Steve

I tend to start on bottom C playing octaves. Which is a stupid note to start on as sometimes oboe reeds don't like bottom C...when I do octaves in a lesson we nearly always start on the D...but that's habit for you. There's something about bottom C, and F sharp is a note that appeals as well... (yes I know it's a clarinet, but 'twill have to do until an oboe smily appears)

Time for

A - or B on the clarinet I just like the sound of it, I think it might be because I've played in orchestras since I was very young so got used to tuning to it..?

Snap BBTOTW!! Same reasons, plus its a nice sounding note on clari compared to the one below it....

I can sing an Eb - so I guess it's my favourite. I don't have perfect pitch - I've just sung Caro Mio Ben a great deal

I like F on the flute. Maybe because I always seem to warm up with Fmaj arpeggio(sp?)

On my clarinet I ALWAYS seem to play G,C,G,F,E. I don't know why; it just seems to be a habit I have got into. And I always hold onto the G for a while before I let the other notes come out very very quickly. I then seem to follow that with a 3 octave chromatic scale on E.

STrange that we all get into habits, isn't it?!

Ooh on flute i always play... middle E, high E, the low notes... 3rd octave A... i dont know, i love all notes all ranges XD i also then do chromatics, Bb major scale slurred and C major scale 3 octaves slurred, and then i do the runs and the cadenza from the Chaminade flute concertino
On violin i always play G major scale, though not always in order, i can get halfway up the scale then go down a few notes then up 6 notes down 3 notes etc. haha just basically playing all the notes on the violin

Same. Although I have to say that I think my favourite note on flute is top top C. Same with piccolo - just cos you see everyone else in the room cringe when you do it!!

I like bottom G or C to start on clarinet

Low G on the flute for me too. It seems to be the most stable note and as far as I can remember it is what my first flute teacher (way back in the mists of time) always asked me to start with.

Love the D major scale on flute, and D minor. Usually warm up with C major, or with A minor or £ minor of F major arpeggios

Although a note i like to play just on its own is low Eb

Any Bb on bassoon. Coming from a tuba player, its not surprising.

i like low D, and the D one octave up, and low A, and the one an octave up, and all the E's on the flute!
i like doing D major scales as well, cos they're easy.

Jacob.

I have to say, D major and minor are my favourite keys for improvising in, I guess because I like the scales so much.

Favourite note is probably A. Similarly to the reasoning for G, its very stable (I used to do my long note practise mainly on A) and of course, you tune to it.

Unless you have one of those nutty directors that thinks tuning to C is a good idea. Uh... well, I spose worse would have been if they'd asked for a C#, which is probably my least favourite note.

D minor is my favourite key, don't know why but I love it!

Hi

I usually start with bottom E on the clarinet, followed by open G, then an easy scale like G or F major, one octave. I also like the sound of the simple arppeggios....but now I am learning and practising chromatic on E (three octaves) and I really like the sound of that when I get it right.

Michelle

A b-c warm up usually consists of long notes at each extreme of the clarinet (bottom E/F and such like, and altissimo notes of varying pitches), plus long notes on open G and clarion middle line B and the C above.

Then a chromatic scale (usually from bottom F to altissimo F), and a few major/minor scales/arpeggios of my choice.

If asked to pick a note the note that pops in to myhead is G. It's a great note - love it to bits! hehe

Not sure about my other instruments - perhaps C on the piano.

Favourite note on the clarinet was always F. Any register.

On the violin I like the notes C and C# but my favourite keys for pieces are Aminor or A major.

On the clarinet I generally start with an open G, to test that the reed's all right, then scale, arpeggio and scale in thirds on F. Haven't a clue why I start there - just habit. Piano is always the first note of the first piece I play - I hardly ever do scales and stuff, though I really should - I still haven't learnt the A#-C# contrary motion chromatic (for grade 6). With the bassoon, either low G or the C above that.

I also enjoy playing the solo from Stravinsky's Rite of Spring (the really high one starting on C above middle C!), to round off bassoon practice. Although sometimes I've run out of breath and it just sounds horrible...

Nick

Why isn't there a bassoon smiley?

I always notice that in whatever piece I play, there's nearly always a note or a bar somewhere in the piece which gives me a special thrill!

When warming up I always love a good F major arpeggio on bassoon, I think its because its the naturally loudest part of the instrument, around low F, then I normally do a C scale from lowest to highest finishing on the top E to get all the reed vibrating .

It's kinda weird how we all have little warming up "ceremonies" like one of my clarinet friends has a little jingle she does every time she plays, just to warm the instrument up and out of habit i suppose.

Interesting question!

clarinet - i always seem to start with open G just to check the reed etc and then long low notes F and G and then F and G major scales (3 octaves)

violin I always start with open strings (tuning) and then a couple of 3 octave scales statrting anywhere between G and D on the G string.
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