What'r your favorite keys to play in?

Fred Glave · From: McHenry, Illinois, USA

Accomplished players seem to play in any key fine, but I would think that when goofing around probably migrate to favorite keys. I play a U12 and I'm only an infant on the steel, but I like the key of Cmajor and d minor on my E9 neck because it seems that have easy access to more inversions. And I like the key of Gmaj/e min or Amaj/fmin or when playing B6. How bout you guys?

Larry Strawn · From: Golden Valley, Arizona, R.I.P.

Fred,
I like the key of A really well, but if you're gonna play behind my wife, be ready to move almost everything to E flat, E, and F! lol..
Larry

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"Fessy" S/D 12, 8/6 Hilton Pedal, Sessions 400 Ltd. Home Grown E/F Rack
"ROCKIN COUNTRY"

Jack Francis · From: Queen Creek, Arizona, USA

I pulled out an old CD of Emmy Lou Harris, "Elite Hotel" andstarted playing along with it and found that she played in a lot of keys that I normally don't.

It is a good challenge to stretch out like that,,kinda makes ya think a bit.

john widgren · From: Wilton CT

I love to play in F because one can play the fretboard from way down low, to up into the stratosphere. Isuppose this can be said of any key, but I somehow like F. I have heard it said that D is the sweetest...anybody know why?

Jim Cohen · From: Philadelphia, PA

I'm like John in that regard, at least on the C6 neck. I tend to doodle in F because I've got a long way to travel in either direction, above or below home base.

On the E9 side, I tend to doodle in G.

Gary Preston · From: Columbus, Ohio, USA

Fred i would rather play in any key than the flat keys . But i really don't have that much problem with those but we do have our rathers .I like to play in any key that i can get behind it . Meaning that if you play in the key of ''C'' at the third fret you can get back to the first fret ,if that makes any sense to you . G.P.

Michael Johnstone · From: Sylmar,Ca. USA

I like F,Bb and Eb. A lot of standards are written in those keys.Good horn keys also.

A. J. Schobert · From: Cincinnati, Ohio,

the Florida Keys

Ernest Cawby · From: Lake City, Florida, USA, R.I.P.

On Trombone I like Eb and Bb, they are the natural keys for this insfrument and easy to play in, on steel just name the key and start the music.
You learn the pockets and move them up and down the neck, as per Jeff Newman.

ernie

Gene H. Brown · From: Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, Canada

Papa Joe Pollick · From: Swanton, Ohio

My fav key is WHISKEY,but doesn't matter.they all sound like "L" when I play em..

Alan Brookes · From: Brummy living in Southern California

I have my E9 neck tuned down to D#9, and on that my favorite key is F#.

On the C6 neck my favourite key is D#.

Chip Fossa · From: Monson, MA, USA (deceased)

I like most of the usual standard country keys (G-C-E-A-D).

On E9th this is pretty much a given.

But, believe it or not, I find F a great E9th key, too. You have those nice low notes, but more control of them, than E open. E is cool for open string unison ultra-twang style, but F gives you more control-especially on the bottom strings- let's you blow out some great tone; fat and rich.

The key of F is as low as you can go with E9
and really bring out the beauty of the steel's low tones. Yes, E is lower, but it's open, and is less controlable.

[This message was edited by CHIP FOSSA on 24 September 2006 at 06:16 PM.]

Damien Odell · From: Springwood, New South Wales, Australia

The band I'm play in a lot of unusual keys like Bb and Eb, C# etc. It was weird at first cause most of the main stream stuff is in E, G, A, C or D. But all it means is holding the bar a coupla frets this way or that. It keeps me on my toes as to the different chord positions up and down the neck in the different keys.
I love the key of C though on my steel, when I mash the A/B pedals on the 3rd fret (E9) I just love the full sound.

Damien

Darvin Willhoite · From: Roxton, Tx. USA

Our band plays in about all of them, but when I'm noodling around, I tend to play in either C or F, especially F on C6th.

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Darvin Willhoite
Riva Ridge Recording

Joe Smith · From: Charlotte, NC, USA

If I'm playing instrumentals on the E9th neck I like to play in C, F and G. On the C6th neck I like Bb, C, Eb F and G. If I'm backing a singer then of course whatever key they sing in. I play sometimes with a guy that likes to sing in C#. I really have to concentrate to play in C#.

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Relative minors are not kin folk

Bobby Lee · From: Cloverdale, California, USA

I like E.

David Doggett · Posted 24 Sep 2006 6:03 pm

For E9 country C or G, because C puts me near the middle of the neck without pedals, and G puts me near the middle of the neck with the pedals down.

For blues A and A minor.

Chip Fossa · From: Monson, MA, USA (deceased)

Great insights, everyone.

This is the Forum at it's best.

Thanks, fellow steelers...

Stephen Gregory · Posted 24 Sep 2006 6:34 pm

Jim C. ,What key do you "noodle" in?

Jeff Lampert · From: queens, new york city

I don't like playing in F# on the C6 neck. Not too crazy about Db (not the same as C#) on E9 either. It's tough trying to be well versed in all keys on both necks. I recall reading that Charlie Parker supposedly played Cherokee in every key, if you can imagine.

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[url=http://www.mightyfinemusic.com/jeff's_jazz.htm]Jeff's Jazz[/url]

[This message was edited by Jeff Lampert on 24 September 2006 at 10:28 PM.]

John Bechtel · From: Nashville, Tennessee, R.I.P.

I think the best key is the Skeleton~Key! It fits anything! But, if you lose your old~key, you get no new~key! So, beware and take care!

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“Big John”
a.k.a. {Keoni Nui}
Current Equipment

David Mason · From: Cambridge, MD, USA

I intentionally switch my "C6th" to B6th and Bb6th occasionally just to keep myself from locking onto fret positions. I have noticed that most violin concertos and sonatas and stuff are written in keys convenient to open violin strings (G, D, A, E), just like knuckle-dragging rockers (E, A, G) and cool jazzers (Eb, Bb)* do. In Indian music, sometimes your guru will pick your key for you when you're 9 or 10 years old and that's it for the rest of your life. Many piano players are masochists.

*(the open strings on a saxophone)

Jack Stoner · From: Kansas City, MO

I don't have a "favorite key". Just depends on the song.

Dave Mudgett · From: Central Pennsylvania and Gallatin, Tennessee

Since I'm a guitar player, I'm more familiar with fretboard relationships in some of the "guitar-friendly keys" like E, G, A, C, and D, where there are open strings or open chords, and maybe some of the popular jazz guitar keys like F and Bb.

But since open strings are not so much an issue on steel, at least the way I play it, I try to force myself to play in every key. I think this is important for traditional E9 playing, since it's so oriented to vocal accompaniment. Lots of singers choose song key based on where their voice sounds best. So if a singer calls a song in Db (a common Emmylou key) or F#, I never argue - I just say "no problemo".

I look at the steel bar as an instant capo - we should be so lucky on guitar to be able get that nice open, ringing sound in any key. Sure, one can play a guitar vocal accompaniment in Db without a capo, but using closed-position chords doesn't get the same open, ringing sound, especially on acoustic. At least, to my tastes.

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