Many of my sax and trumpet playing friends adore Bb, Eb and Ab. I think because a lot of standard jazz and big band tunes are written in that key.

I've known pianists who like the flat keys because they can feel the black keys on the piano without looking at it.

Since I was in Jr. High, instead of brass bands, I've played with guitarists in rock bands. I'm more comfortable in concert E (F# on tenor sax), A (B on sax), G (A on sax) than I am in Eb or Ab.

For rock/blues songs I prefer concert E, F, and G due to the characteristics of the tenor sax (F#, G, A.) and how the tone changes at the octave break. But I can play in any key, some more fluently than others, only because more songs are in those keys.

Play in any key often enough, and your muscle memory will eventually make it comfortable.

For those who don't know, when changing the key on the sax, the fingering is entirely different. So learning a song in one key, and then modulating it up a half step, is like learning the song all over again.

Fast forward >> and the seventh instrument I learned how to play is guitar. Playing a song in C that changes to C# at the end. What? I don't have to change the fingering, just move my hand up a fret? Wow!!! Wanna change it again??? And again!?!?!?!?

On the other hand, reading music is much easier on the sax. One note at a time, and no choice about which of the multiple same note positions on the fretboard to choose.

But of all the instruments I've learned, what I call the 8th is the most difficult - voice. On the sax, I press the right buttons and the right note comes out. The voice doesn't work that way. I spent more time devoping how to be an adequate singer than I did on any other instrument I've tried so far.

Notes ♫

Bob "Notes" Norton smile Norton Music
https://www.nortonmusic.com

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