Professional Transposers.....

[fantomfingers]

Interested to read all the comments on the use of professional transposes incorporated on many of todays keyboards, organs.
I can sympathize with players on both sides of the fence.
Yes it would be wonderful to be able to play in all keys, but some of us can only play in a few keys, and by  using the transposer correctly it can add a whole new dimension of playing.
As for being a professional. A real professional is one that is prepared to play and is at one with his/her instrument.
Providing the keyboard becomes an extension of your ability to express yourself, the transposer can actually help.

I for one would love to play in every key, but I play on C F and G ( and yes you are quite correct mostly in C).
I don't find the transposer a crutch, but a fantastic tool, and it does not effect my muscular memory in fingering etc when playing in different keys.

My advise is to do what comes naturally, and the reality is if I didn't have a transposer on my keyboard then I wouldn't be ale to play many of the scores at church.



 

[jonesl78]

Learn all keys. I look at each key as its own special character. In a way, you have to go a spend time with each and every key and get used to the sound and the feel of the different chords, progressions and scales. This will also help develope your relative pitch.

[codewarrior]

The most important thing you have as a musician besides your faith in God is your ear.  By transposing you are basically refusing to develop it.  This is really going to hurt your musical progress.

It's not that hard to learn to play in 12 keys.  How?  Just do it.  Take a song you know and just work it out in every key.  With every song it will get easier and easier.  And if you start using your ears and mind instead of just muscle memory, eventually you will start to *hear* songs in new keys before you even practice them.  Keep in mind that most Gospel songs use a lot of the same chords and progressions.  So once you know enough songs and the common progressions in every key, you will be able to play new songs in any key without even really practicing them.

Remember, if you want to be really good, your ear is the most important thing outside of your faith.  So don't cheat yourself.

[curjon757]

Seems that this is a touchy subject. I just would like to state for the record that I DO TRANSPOSE. But if I am using a board that doesn't have that function I can deal with it. I think we forget that it is not about the ability, it all about the anointing. Once the anointing takes effect all other opinions about whether transposing is okay or not are minute.

[rjthakid]

Seems that this is a touchy subject. I just would like to state for the record that I DO TRANSPOSE. But if I am using a board that doesn't have that function I can deal with it. I think we forget that it is not about the ability, it all about the anointing. Once the anointing takes effect all other opinions about whether transposing is okay or not are minute.

Hmmm.  I tend to think that that's an excuse.  No offense to you brother.  I'm sure you're a good player, and you can hold your own.  But I don't think that saying "it's all about the anointing" is a valid excuse for not learning how to play in every key. 

But that's what we do.  Some people learn how to play in one key, then they transpose.  And when you call them on it they say: "All those things don't matter, I'm playing to the Glory of God".  There was another thread about Music Departments who don't practice because they'd rather "let the spirit take over on Sunday" than to practice.

But we ought to give God our best.  Again let me reiterate that this is NOT an attack on you at all curjon757.  I'm sure you can hold your own.  But some people would use your post to try and validate laziness.

[Runs_N_12_Keys]

...........Are you still talking about tranposing on here...LOL


About 2 yrs My homeboy  "auditioned" for a  Asst.Musical Director position at this 700+  Congregation  and one of the questions were  ...yes you guessed it   "CAN YOU PLAY IN ALL KEYS" he said yes  So they called him on it  Sat him down at the Piano (Acoustic No Transpose) and made him play in every key  Needless to say   ..He did not get the Job    this was about two years ago  when he told me this  We laughed about  But from that day on  He took his music more seriously  and learned every key ..He went back earlier this year and he got the job

Like I said and like many have said on here  It's about how bad you want it and how far you want to take it  some people just play just to get by  (whatever that means ...) Me and I am pretty sure many more take this music thing very seriously   I love every key   Someone said earlier   Every key is Special    almost like kids you love them all the same but they are all different   


I recently had a Shirt designed  that simply says


on the front


I Don't Transpose

On the Back

Learn your Craft







Scales






It's the ROC

[MewsikHarris32]

I play the organ in service ( no transposing!!!) if you want to learn how to play in every key, play the organ. You
ll find yourself going home every sunday night practicing in that key that you had to 'FAKE'

[MewsikHarris32]

If you really want to learn how to play in every key, play the organ during service. You cant transpose!! You can fake though, and i promise you that you will go home every sunday learning a different key, because someone tried to sing in that key, or changed keys on you. That's how you learn

[skymegatoronto]

I have responded to a similar post before on this subject. Many of the comments have covered the scope of this discussion. My additional suggestion is to use the transpose button to play in the keys that you have not mastered or feel uneasy about.

Take your favorite song on a audio format and play that song using the transpose button to play in those so called ugly keys. Do the scales and practice every run you can.

If you're blessed to play on a Sunday morning,night and mid-week service, then on a Sunday night or midweek service, use the transpose key if you don't have control on the keys worship songs are in, and adjust it to those keys that you need to work on.

What I'm personally doing right now is taking a key each month to work on. This included scales, runs etc. by the end of 12 months, I should be fairly competent on all Keys.

I wish more of the video instructors would purposely teach techniques in keys like E,A and B. Of course they should include the common Ab,Bb and Eb, but show more diversity.
Peace

TL

[darkwing]

I read this whole thread and I don't think this was addressed, so ignore me if I missed it somewhere in my reading.

Certain areas of finger dexterity cannot be accomplished by only playing in a few different keys.  Just playing the all the Major scales will reveal how your fingers have to move in different combinations to get the same sound in different keys.  Playing in all keys also opens up new ideas because some runs are easy in some keys and harder in others.  If I'd never learned to play in all keys, I would have never found those unique runs.

Playing in all keys is about stretching the mind as well as the fingers.

[BimmerFan99]

Somewhat related to darkwing's post, I find that when I transpose to a different key, I play the song differently because I know different chords in that key.  It may not be consistent, but it's refreshing to play songs in different keys.

[skymegatoronto]

If you really want to learn how to play in every key, play the organ during service. You cant transpose!! You can fake though, and i promise you that you will go home every sunday learning a different key, because someone tried to sing in that key, or changed keys on you. That's how you learn

I would add that playing an acoustic piano would be the ultimate challenge in knowing your keys over the organ. With the piano you can't get away with sluring keys or holding onto a chord The sustain pedal on these pianos only last so long.

[diverse379]

I want to chime in once again on this post

I could play in all the black keys pretty well with the exception of Gb

and I could really work C and f but E and A and D And G and B

well that was another story

but then I started playing at this 300 member congregation and every other song they wanted to modulate three times

It worked me out for real

then i started working from this technique book called the advanced school of piano playing and it made most of the problems in those unfamiliar keys go away.

the problem isnt just can you play in those unfamiliar keys but do you sound as nice as you do in your familiar keys

that is the real difference i can now play in every key but i still sound better in Db then I do in E

and when I play in E people will say its cool but you have to work on some spots

so it is a process of growth and working at it
Piano is a strange instrument because as piano and organ players or keyboard players we have to learn a lot more then just how to play

we have to learn how to compose (play by ear)
we have to learn a variety of styles of music
we have to run a service
set up worship
set up praise
talk music atmosphere
teach or accompany choirs
develop reportoire

some of these things are more director conductor functions wihich already require you to have mastery of your instrument and many of us had to hit the ground running

so we learned how to play well enough to get through a service then we had to learn how to train a choir how to set the atmosphere how to phatten up our sound

all the while sometimes the actual technical ability of knowing your instrument was ignored

I am not making excuses but I think this is a critical element in why some people never break out of the transpose button syndrome somewhere along the line once they had the phat chords they needed to go back and relearn

but you know it is a difficult task to play in every key you need to really want to learn it and dedicate yourself to do it. 

I found that the people who begin transposing when they play simple do it better then those that already play really hot in one or two keys then have to transpose all those sick moves its a daunting task

learn how to play a simple blues in every key learn how to groove in every key establish a mininmium standard in every key and build from their

lean praise the lord everybody in every key
bass lines and everything then add a little run
then a fancy chord
then two chords

then learn another song
keep this up until you can play the main worship songs and praise songs in every key

then go to hymns
or contemporary songs this is a good way to start making it happen.

[cakinbro]

You will never get better if you keep transposing.

All keys are relative to each other

Learn your craft!!! 

[themidiroom]

When I started playing at my current church, I did transpose.  I hated having to do it but I didn't know very many songs and our song service consists of 8-10 songs.  Within a few months, I got up to speed and am quite fluent in all keys.  Whenever I talk to other church musicians it seems that the highest insult it to accuse one of transposing.

[musallio]

It depends on if you transpose or not.  What we are talking about here is people who have to tranpose EACH and EVERY song because they can only play in one key.  They can't or won't take the time to learn to play in every key, and they become dependent on that button for them to play. 

For those of you who don't use transpose, don't start because it is like an addiction.  It becomes easier and easier to hit that button, and at the same time it becomes harder and harder to actually sit down and become a REAL musician by learning every key. 

The only acceptable time to use transpose is if it is up or down an octave.  Sometimes you have to transpose a keyboard up an octave to get the very high sounds, and sometimes you need to transpose an octave lower to get those deep bass sounds.  Other than that, don't ever, ever, ever use it.

I taught myself how 2 play,& still do because I feel that I will not limit myself as I would if i went to a local teacher because they would either teach me 2 be good in reading sheet music or a gospel 1, in playing in a or 2 keys only

My board has both transpose & Octave shift (2 octs), so I use the octave shift..as 4 transpose, I've used it in both 2 instances when I played @ church after disrupting the flow because i was playing in unfamiliar keys (& i was filling in bcos i don't play..we have 3 players [who all happened not 2 be there]).
2 can play in all the keys, but can't read /teach music, not even using the number system, so I can't rely on them 2 teach me, I just watch them play sometimes & pick up..theyve been playing over 10yrs.

The ada 1 is not interested in learning all keys...he's been playing 4 8years now...
I guess his concept is that so long as he can play any song @ church, no problem...no desire 2 learn..so I've left him..
I've now taught myself all the chords I've ever heard him play in that key (Ab) & if i learn new stuff, i upd8 him.
Adawise, i wouldnt say he ever sees himself on a piano/ organ..so good 4 him

As 4 me, it hurts 2 myself surpassing senior players because I learn a whole lot more than them bcos I can pick up from any key & apply it to all, whereas they just go blank because the other keys are a mystery to them.
Some are only helped by a v.good ear..
But there's stuff a good ear cant just pick up..lol.

summary: It's your choice whether 2 transpose / not, so long as the service flows it's up 2 U whether U want 2 be the best U can

[trinatrine]

I was born in 1974   The older Hammond organs don't have transpose so you know I came from the ol' school!  I played the super xB3 and tried it in transpose and I messed up so bad because I think I know placement.  I WAS MAD I COULDN'T PLAY IN TRANSPOSE BUT HAPPY!!!!!  I learned and respected my craft to not be lazy and learn and practice.  I am an encourager and I hope that you will not take the "easy" way out and cheat yourself out to knowledge!  I'm a L.A.T. (Levite Against Transposing.....ROTF)  I just learned what that was...but seriously, just keep practicing and ask questions of those who are experienced or seasoned

[Runs_N_12_Keys]

  I am an encourager and I hope that you will not take the "easy" way out and cheat yourself out to knowledge!  I'm a L.A.T. (Levite Against Transposing.....ROTF)  I just learned what that was...but seriously, just keep practicing and ask questions of those who are experienced or seasoned

That's What's up

[under13]

Yeah tranposing will mess u up. What yall goin to do when the preacher jumps to different keys? it will look bad if youre up there messin with the transpose button trying to find the key every time he goes or down more than 1 key

Like on the Tye Tribbet song Still have Joy they go from Db to Ab Instantley, if youre transposing you will have to press the transpose button 7  times to get to Ab, that would take at least 2 seconds + that would sound SLOPPY

[Wolfram]

I have to admit that I do transpose on occasion.  This usually happens on a jazz gig when a singer shows up and wants to play a tune that we have charts for but they are feeling too delicate to sing it in that key.  Now, before everyone jumps on me let me tell you this happens infrequently and I most of the time I avoid the issue if it is only a transposition of a third or less.  Sometimes the transposition is much more difficult and if I had the time to nilly around with the arrangement she / he just handed to me I would do it without the magic Transpose button.

I personally have grown to enjoy the challenge of improvisation in twelve keys.  I know that in Gospel music Eb, Ab and Db seem to be common keys but in Funk and Jazz, I play ALOT in the keys you shy away from E, A, D, B...  The guitay players dream keys. 

I have found it challenging to make the transition to Gospel music, mostly because of the heaviness of the key signatures.  I have also found this to be the most rewarding challenge.  I wouldn't be too hard on those that need the transpose feature.  I know it is nice to say you can play in all twelve keys, but some folks do not think this to be nearly as important and in the big scheme of things, it is only important to a small percentage. 

I would bet that if a church would hear a keyboardist play and he / she tore it up every Sunday no matter what key they were in, they would not care if the transpose button was used and quite frankly, neither does God.