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i'm wondering what keys are favorites for piano and guitar players and what keys sound the best for each instrument
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I'd imagine if playing with/for others one has to be comfortable playing in almost any key. For a singer it's the one that best suits your range where your voice sounds best for that song.
For those just playing alone, I guess there could be a preference.
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In pop guitar styles (blues, folk, rock, etc.) keys centering on the four lowest open strings are probably the favorites, e.g., E major and minor, A major and minor, and D and G major; reason being that you don't have to play barre chords. Open tunings change it up a little as several such omit the third, so can sound either major or minor depending on context, and can be played with simple barres formed by a finger or slide. Capos, of course, make it possible to easily play in any key. Jeff Beck messes up the curve a bit by tuning his guitar to Eb, but who cares what he thinks?  R.
"My primary musical instrument is the personal computer."
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eddie1261
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Wherever the singer is comfortable.
If the singer says "Hey can you lower it a whole step o-vair?" I drive to Picksburg and lower it. Maybe catch a Stillers game and have a samrich.
Last edited by eddie1261; 06/22/13 08:54 AM.
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I prefer the key of Em "..it is the saddest of all keys" 
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In pop guitar styles (blues, folk, rock, etc.) keys centering on the four lowest open strings are probably the favorites, e.g., E major and minor, A major and minor, and D and G major; reason being that you don't have to play barre chords.
R. This is true however a good guitarist, in my mind anyway, can play in any key.
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In pop guitar styles (blues, folk, rock, etc.) keys centering on the four lowest open strings are probably the favorites, e.g., E major and minor, A major and minor, and D and G major; reason being that you don't have to play barre chords.
R. This is true however a good guitarist, in my mind anyway, can play in any key. Of course, but that wasn't the question. But alla us guitarists are good, ain't we? 
"My primary musical instrument is the personal computer."
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In pop guitar styles (blues, folk, rock, etc.) keys centering on the four lowest open strings are probably the favorites, e.g., E major and minor, A major and minor, and D and G major; reason being that you don't have to play barre chords.
R. This is true however a good guitarist, in my mind anyway, can play in any key. Of course, but that wasn't the question. But alla us guitarists are good, ain't we? Yes we are!
Life is short so make sure you spend as much time as possible on the Internet arguing with strangers.
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I'll state the obvious;
Em on guitar and C major, Am, and Dm on keys ..
go figger
These are just naturally easiest.
Like Bb concert on trumpet .. everything transposes in my mind from there. It's how I learned.
"But alla us guitarists are good, ain't we?"
No, I been called a guitarist and I ain't good. I'm barely serviceable.
I can think of others.
/that was meant to be funny
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
Make your sound your own!
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Generally OK with any key on guitar.
On piano, any key which doesn't use the black notes.
ROG.
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I at one time confess to having "favorite" keys, often based on how well I knew a certain key's mechanical issues such as fingerings on the keyboards, chord shapes and use of open strangs on the guitars, range on the trumpets.
But then I got embarassed by good musicians about that, and started the regiment of PRACTICING ALL SONGS IN ALL KEYS.
That took time.
I found that it was best to do by going around the circle of fifths, usually I would backcycle, which is going counterclockwise, such that the key would change in 4ths, but it really wouldn't matter which direction.
AND ONCE THAT KEY WAS PICKED, THAT BECAME THE PRACTICE KEY OF THE DAY.
No matter the song, try to play it by ear in the key of the day as well as in the key written or known.
Rinse.
Repeat.
Inside of much less than a year, you've got it.
And then you discover something that is much greater than the sum of the parts, you discover that certain key signatures also have something of their own to say that can either build the song emotion higher, or pull it askew, depending.
"How do you get to Carnegie Hall from here?"
"Man, you gotta PRACTICE"
Have Fun,
--Mac
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Guitar only, ... any key besides the flat ones. I can do it in a pinch, ... but it just ain't natural! 
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Guitar only, ... any key besides the flat ones. I can do it in a pinch, ... but it just ain't natural! When working with Horn Bands, Soul Bands, Black Gospel, the groups that may use the Flat Keys more often than not, I take advantage of what I learned from transcribing Jimi and go ahead and tune the whole guitar down one half step. That makes my "open E" fingerings into Eb, A into Ab, D into Db, etc. -- and makes the guitar playing as simple as playing in the "guitar" keys. It also imparts a rather different sound, as well, often purty nice. As Jimi, and later on, Stevie Ray, showed us. --Mac
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There is something about the key of Db on piano. Look at your RH fingers, thumb to pinky: short, long, long,long, short. Put your thumb on f. See how nicely the long fingers fit on the black keys?
It feels right and natural.
Not only that, but the key of Db has a particular musical quality that, for me, is quite distinct. Something like melancholy or solemn, or something. Words fail, of course. I just like the way it makes me feel.
Mac and the others are right about playing in all keys, of course, and I continue to strive for that degree of musicianship.
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>>>...That makes my "open E" fingerings into Eb, A into Ab, D into Db, etc. -- and makes the guitar playing as simple as playing in the "guitar" keys. ...>>>
For solo guitar work, I use a half-step-down tuning like this on my acoustic flattop, with heavy strings. The sound seems growly-er
and gutty-er. This tuning often suits my voice better as well.
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Guitar only, ... any key besides the flat ones. I can do it in a pinch, ... but it just ain't natural! When working with Horn Bands, Soul Bands, Black Gospel, the groups that may use the Flat Keys more often than not, I take advantage of what I learned from transcribing Jimi and go ahead and tune the whole guitar down one half step. That makes my "open E" fingerings into Eb, A into Ab, D into Db, etc. -- and makes the guitar playing as simple as playing in the "guitar" keys. It also imparts a rather different sound, as well, often purty nice. As Jimi, and later on, Stevie Ray, showed us. --Mac Din't know about Jimi and Stevie, but I did about Jeff Beck, whom I mentioned early on. Hmm . . . what do they know that we don't?
"My primary musical instrument is the personal computer."
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They can definitely play guitar better than any of us!
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They can definitely play guitar better than any of us! Taking the plunge to retune the guitar to their tunings will likely show you just how EASY a lot of their hard-to-scope patterns really are. That's been my experience, anyway. Another great player who uses the scordatura all the time, is Johnny Winter, who tunes down a Whole Step to where the E strings become D. The lessened string tension can make for a whole new world when it comes to bending. --Mac
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Taking the plunge to retune the guitar to their tunings will likely show you just how EASY a lot of their hard-to-scope patterns really are.
That's been my experience, anyway.
Another great player who uses the scordatura all the time, is Johnny Winter, who tunes down a Whole Step to where the E strings become D. The lessened string tension can make for a whole new world when it comes to bending.
--Mac
for years I wanted to tune down for a variety of reasons,but it wasn't convenient because my tuner was specifically made for a guitar, and it only recognized the notes EBGDAE But I recently bought a liitle clip-on tuner (mostly because it was very inexpensive, and I'm cheap) and I was pleasantly surprised to find that it recognizes ALL the notes! So now precise special tunings, tuning down any increment, or tuning with a capo already on (to compensate for that little bit of stretch the capo adds) are easy whereas before it was impossible highly recommended: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Snark-SN-5-Clip-...=item41739911a9
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For those who are about to enter the world of drop tuning for the first time, be aware that the reduced tension can play havoc with the guitar's action.
If you like a very low action, as I do, dropping the guitar down even a semitone can result in fret buzz as the neck relaxes and the action lowers even further. If you want to play with a drop tuning habitually, it's probably a good idea to get the guitar set-up for that tuning.
I'm sure all you experienced players know this already - this is just intended to help those new to the subject.
ROG.
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