Originally Posted By: Matt Finley
Originally Posted By: Planobilly
... Ebmin, six flats, why would you write in that key to begin with?

Billy
You would likely not. But that's actually a very fair question to discuss. For those of us who compose for large ensembles, the answer is not trivial.

I play in a big band where the parts are written for Trumpet in Bb. Most of us compose in concert pitch, and the two chord changes are Cmin (3 flats) to C#min (4 sharps). Now, one can't really argue that C#min should be Dbmin, because that would be eight flats. So it's Cmin to C#min.

But what happens when the arranger then prints the trumpet part where everything is raised a full step? At that point, interesting things start to show up. It becomes Dmin (one flat; fine) to D#min (six sharps). D#min is enharmonically correct, but I would rather see Ebmin (six flats). Flat to flat is easier to get your head around.

Make sense?


This is very logical to me. It is also something that I assume happens from time to time. Generally speaking, most arrangers are not looking to make things difficult or arrange without considering the instrument.

If I usually play something in the key of A, and I am lucky enough to get to play with a horn section, I will play it in Bb if it does not mess up the singer.

Writers should write in whatever key they want to. I don't like putting limits on people's creativity. But...some of us may be unable to play it very well, if at all.

I used to play with an old blues player, Big Walter. Everything he played was in C#. There were no charts, and I could not have read them back then. It may have been a bit of a strange key, but it is actually pretty easy for a guitar player. It puts the relative minor in Bbmin where lead lines and fills behind the vocal could easily come from.

Every big band I listen to plays Jazz or Latin. The musicians are generally classically trained in formal music schools. Everyone has a chart on the music stand in front of them whether they are playing off it or not. Most of these people are highly skilled sight-readers but also have great ears.

I think it is better to understand music theory and be able to read and write than not. It is also not an absolute necessity for being able to create great music.

Even these simple discussions about 24/12 are limited to those of us who have some idea of theory, no matter where we learned the theory.
We should try our best to be inclusive and bring other people into these conversations with less structured musical communication methods.

I am constantly amazed at the small number of people who actually post things on this forum.

Billy

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