I was just wondering whether people prefer to play in sharps or flats.
I hate playing if there is more than 2 sharps in a piece of music but i can easily play a piece that has about 5 flats.

Flats, F# is a horrible note on the bassoon... and C# is even worse...

Flats definitely, don't know why but I can just cope far better with lots of flats than lots of sharps .

But C# major is invariably better than Db...

I prefer sharps.

In my G4, the sight reading piece had 3 or 4 flats (can't remember now) and I was really cheeky and asked if I could have one with 4 sharps instead

He politely said no !

Fiona

Worth a try though eh ?

Indeed, in fact to make the exams fair everyone should be allowed to pick any sightreading test they like off the page . Otherwise some people by luck will get one that they like; and others will be stuck with their worst nightmare!

You're absolutley right AP.

I think I just deal with sharps better because they're to the right and my brain can cope with that. It's going left my brain can't cope with as easy.

Probably just me !

Fiona

Sharps are easier, though my C# sounds terrible. It's always to high!

Flats for me... the shapes fit my hands (or brain) better somehow.

I don't really mind sharps or flats, but if I had to choose, I would go for sharps.

Car Expert

I definitely prefer sharps. On the violin, playing in a sharp key is so much easier.

Definitely sharps for me, it just feels more natural (no pun intended)

Flats on piano seem easier on piano, no matter how many, but on clarinet/sax, sharps are so much easier to cope with!

I agree, on the piano, flats I think are more easier to deal with...with the clarinet and flugel, I find flats harder.

Yup, flats on piano for me too..

I like flats too. I used to prefer sharps, but now I find it easier to play flats.

Depends on the instrument, I think. Sharps on the violin, possibly flats though don't really mind sharps on the flute, probably sharps on the piano as I seem to have a blind spot for Bb... flats on the harp because of how my harp is tuned (though I can only play up to 3 flats)... sharps on the recorder.

Too hard to choose!

I've always thought of it a Db, I guess that's a little odd...

Ive just looked but a lot of my pieces that are really nice are in Bb, Eb, Ab and Db majors...though weirdly, the key that i HATE most is F major...

FLATS!!

And that's a lot for a violinist to say they prefer to play in flats...
Although on the piano i hate F major, Bb major and Eb major, but love Ab, Db and Gb majors... strange...

Noooooooooo! Db is much nicer...

Definitely Db all the way .

Maybe we should start a poll - Db vs C#

Shall we have a 'We think Db is better than C# club'???

I like C sharp, but small hands + violin = flats in general.
Worst ever key and scale must be F sharp major...

I prefere flats because sharps are always too sharp especially on a bassoon.

Can I join the 'We think Db is better than C# club'?

I voted sharps. Sharps take me higher, whereas flats put me down.
Sounds stupid, but I kinda feel it that way. Besides, at the piano, most scales with flats feel less comfortable to play, less suitable to my hands than those with sharps (IMO).

LOL...I'll join too!

Yeah sure!

Mmmm - well - in general I like sharp keys better than flat ones, but on the question of C# versus Db I prefer Db!

Odd or what?

Flats! I just love playing a piece with them.

please can i join?

No preference

I'll join the Db not C# club!

i prefer flats on violin, piano and when i sing. I've never really thought about why

Me too!!

But surely C# Major is easier to play than Db Major?

I mean.... everything is sharp, it's that simple!

Db Major has got 5 flats so that means you need to think about which ones are flat and which aren't.

Erm, on piano the 5 flatted ones are the ones immediately to the right of the black notes, so it's about as easy as B Major - where the sharpened ones are the ones immediately to the left of the black notes....

I call it C# Major though, to match C# Minor .

I see the reasoning with everything sharp but on piano I have to really think about white notes being called sharp or flat....

I'm in the Db club

I voted sharps. Going higher seems to be easier than going lower to me...

And me flats are much better!

I find it simpler that there are LESS flats in Db!!

Not sure, the club thing will fit on my signature...let me go and check...

Don't mine, really. Usually manage to muck up most things.

Flats!

i prefer sharps

think i might join too, on piano Db sounds great, and not at all hard to remember. the only keys that aren't flat are F and C, that's really easy to remember. see clair de lune, nocturne no.8 and berceuse by chopin. Db for sure

Me too. Bizarre isn't it! Maybe more famous pieces have flats than sharps.

s8535049 - Absolutely agree, Db is my fave key by a long way too.

Strange as it may seem i'm having trouble playing D major scales right now but Db major scale is really easy to play!