What is your favorite key?

What is/are your favorite key(s) to compose in and why?

Mine is F-Sharp minor.

I think F-Sharp minor has both chaotic and mournful characteristics, and the related Major keys (A and F-Sharp) contrast sharply in my opinion.

Finally someone asked! :happy:

I like E major a lot. But I like to fiddle around and add A# and/or D natural (aka Mixolydian)

Another key I like a lot is Ab major. Mixolydian, of course (Gb) I guess I'm just a mixolydian freak! :P

I also seem to write things (nowadays) in Gb major or minor. I'm loving how strings sound that way. :D

Nothing else off the top of my head. I'll post more when I can think of more

I'm not so much of a fan of the mixolydian mode, but I like A flat major, too.

(Also, saying you prefer atonality to any key is a valid answer!)

I love the sound of Gb and Db and their relation to one another. I also find D and B minor to be very easy to play and improvise in very quickly.

I prefer a mindset where the importance of the musical expression comes from the relationship between intervals, aka different prime scales and modes thereof, and not the specific starting pitches themselves. That isn't to say I don't find inspiration from the ergonomics of those of my instruments that are not isomorphic: Isomorphic keyboard - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

and therefor have a different "feel" for every key, but then that would make the relevant question "Which keys on what instruments do you like to play/compose on most?"

On the piano, I tend to just shift to the white keys that contain my current mode, but on the trumpet I love to play in concert F Ionian, It occupies a great range for me on the instrument.

Over all though:

In the diatonic scale, I LOVE lydian mode :)

The double harmonic scale (a prime scale, on the same level of hierarchy as the diatonic), is awesome :D

The Double Harmonic Scales

John M

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No.

To the OP:

E-flat

D-flat

B-flat

G-flat

A-flat

D

I particularly like the sound of

-Major: Db, Ab, F# and Bb

-Dorian: C, D, :O and E

-Locrian: G

-Minor: C#, G, D and Bb

-Mixolydian: F

-Aeolian: B

and sometimes the grace of D and C major and brilliance of E major.

You could call them all the same, they are really all relative and it doesn't matter if it's A minor or F double sharp minor, they just sound higher or lower, but personally, I do find a certain character to different keys.

My favourite "key" is F# sharp :thumbsup: ...or B-flat...

D minor. Its a very dark key and is full of power.

C minor together with Ab Major. This little combination starts with a tense stormy c minor and then modulates to a dreamy Ab Major for a contrasting mid section before going back and finnishing with a bang in c minor.

http://www.youngcomposers.com/forum/your-favorite-key-17207.html

:/

Before this degenerates into "that's a pointless question, all keys sound the same in equal temperament" and the obvious "I don't write in keys at all."

Mine would have to be either F# major or C minor depending on the mood.. I also go heavy on Lydian and Dorian.

something I've noticed recently:

The thing is, the way I play/compose, no matter what root note I use there seems to only be 2 defining keys: one that tends to focus on the black piano keys, and one that focuses on the white. So it feels like there is little difference between the different keys. It's weird, because I end up using the same exact chords when I'm playing in all these different keys. Probably since I play a lot of modal stuff.

C#################bbbbbbquartersharp locrian

C#################bbbbbbquartersharp locrian

So... B three-quarter sharp locrian?

I love Bb Major :D

So... B three-quarter sharp locrian?

http://www.youngcomposers.com/forum/your-favorite-key-17207.html

:/

Before this degenerates into "that's a pointless question, all keys sound the same in equal temperament" and the obvious "I don't write in keys at all."

lol

SSC.

Just lol.

Temperament is too much for the non-transcended.

What does "non-transcended" mean?

So... B three-quarter sharp locrian?

Not in just intonation!

B-flat minor

copy

Dorian: C, D, :O and E

Uhm :O?

I agree with the point made earlier, that the important aspect of the musical expression is the relationship of the intervals. Expanding on that thought, one element to consider in composing is "Do the written cadencesn fit the group?",for example if you wanted the bass section of a choral pieces to sing an ascending V- I cadence with deep low notes in the key of G, that might be a little out there skillswise for several of the basses. But you could transpose the piece one or two steps higher to accomadate for the stretch of range, obviously still applying the same accidentals to the piece. The same concept could be applied to a high saprano note needing to be lowered. The key of the piece should differentiate up and down due to the skills of the performers and their common timbre.

Uhm :O?

A little inside joke about the banality of D dorian. On a personal note and not the theory stuff. I could expand if you'd like :thumbsup:

In considerations of a choir. Not everyone has been gifted to have the same range.you could have someone thats an all state top of the class singer that it just not capable of hitting a low D( the five in a five to one cadence in G maj).For real, a college level bass is only expected to have a E natural in his arsenal. the rest is by chance.

I don't prefer to write for a individual voice, maybe a solo for a personal acquintance with assesment of their style. otherwise i prefer to write for a mass group. Having a diversified group of performers in one accord allows the true voice and spirit of the song to speak to the audience. Another good thing about singing in a choir is that there's not much self-exaltation. i just believe our taste don't satisfy each other. Not that it's bad, you just don't dig the choir. and when you get to where you want to have several split harmonies in a suspenseful moment. how do you not write that using a choir?