What is it With You Guitar Players?

[under13]

Hi Guitar Room, At my church I play with two different guitat players, and it seems like both of them hate playing in flat keys. I know you guys like to play the open string or whatever, but is it that bad playing in other keys? Sometimes it just seems like a bit of a conflict, as us keyboard players dislike all of the keys that you guys like.

[kodacolor]

Hmmm.  This is going to be interesting.  I've heard of guitarists not being able to/avoiding playing in flat keys, but I haven't experienced it so I couldn't tell you, U13.  I guess it has something to do with guitar theory.  Idk.  I thought on the keys a C# and a Db were the same notes so if the guitar couldn't do Db it would do C#.  Then again, I don't know theory.    Eeeeeyyyeaaa, I'm not helping.

*waits for someone with a real answer*

[JayP5150]

Hi Guitar Room, At my church I play with two different guitat players, and it seems like both of them hate playing in flat keys. I know you guys like to play the open string or whatever, but is it that bad playing in other keys? Sometimes it just seems like a bit of a conflict, as us keyboard players dislike all of the keys that you guys like.

The only one I really despise is Eb...

You lose your whole lower range. Your lowest open note is an E, so, in Eb, your lowest root is now an octave higher.

I actually almost started tuning down a half step once because of this, but I didn't feel like having to re-setup my action and all that madness.

But, yes, what is friendly to a keyboard is not-so-friendly to a guitar (in a general sense).

And, honestly, because of the same reason above, I tune in drop D a LOT (at least when writing).

[Fenix]

U13, your church plays primarily gospel right? So in that case the guitar does not do a lot of strumming stuff and are probably playing lead lines. So it really shouldn't matter to them what key you guys play in since all the scale shapes are movable.

However if the song is a very strummy song, then the bat shapes necessary to play them are probably difficult for your guitarists to play. However it is just a minor inconvenience IMO to play in non white keys and have to bar all the time, but it is really minor and not something i get hung up over for long.

I don't mind playing in non-white keys.

[funkStrat_97]

The only one I really despise is Eb...

I actually tune down a half-step.  But flat keys, sharp keys, whatever never bothered me.  Plus I really don't spend too much time worrying about the low end since the bass keys are usually all over it.

[Gibby]

I like playing in different keys...white or black...makes no difference to me. 

[gtrdave]

Most guitar players start out playing the open or cowboy chords. None of them are in flat keys.
Most of the beginning rock and blues and country stuff that we learn is not in flat keys either, so we spend a lot of our developmental time playing things in E or G or A or C or D...and sometimes F, but not that often.
Then, when a flat chord or key comes along we're like "WHAT is THAT?!?! GET THAT KEYBOARD STUFF OUTTA HERE!!!" 
The thing is, though, if we take the same time to learn some basic progressions in flat keys, it will open up a whole big world of understanding for us, especially in church and gospel music because the keyboards like the flat keys.
We'll make more friends, get more gigs, marry pretty women, have beautiful children, etc...all because we learned chords with a b after them.

It's true. 

[kodacolor]

I like playing in different keys...white or black...makes no difference to me. 

He can play in that key it don't matter if it's black or white...


He he!

[jlynnb1]

lol....funny....since i don't know any keyboard players that like playing in E or A or B....

[Gibby]

He can play in that key it don't matter if it's black or white...


He he!

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!


My sides are hurting because of this Kodacolor!! 

Today will be a good day! 

[under13]

lol....funny....since i don't know any keyboard players that like playing in E or A or B....

I dont mind playing in those keys, and I actually like playing in A. As long as the key has a few black notes in the scale, I dont mind playing in it. (just dont ask me to play a shout in those keys )

[Gibby]

I dont mind playing in those keys, and I actually like playing in A. As long as the key has a few black notes in the scale, I dont mind playing in it. (just dont ask me to play a shout in those keys )

not without a bass player huh?

[Fenix]

When i am playing keys, i HATE E A and D. I hate them so much i am tempted to hit the transpose button. I don't, but i am tempted to. 

He can play in that key it don't matter if it's black or white...


He he!

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!

[duster]

Ive always wonder why some musicians refer to a chord as a flat instead of sharps. I refer to chords as sharp. is there a difference. whenever i talk to my keyboard dude he's always referring to flats all i do i think of sharp in my head. whats the difference?

[jonesl78]

Ive always wonder why some musicians refer to a chord as a flat instead of sharps. I refer to chords as sharp. is there a difference. whenever i talk to my keyboard dude he's always referring to flats all i do i think of sharp in my head. whats the difference?

Its not really a difference because you are plucking the same note but theoretically it is. For example, in the key of E Major, the F# or Gb note is a F#. On the other hand, that same key is a Gb in Db major. Another example is that when you play a chord that requires you to lower a note that is already flat, it becomes "x"bb. (ie. Bbb) In a music setting, most people would just refer to this as an "A." However, a composition would indicate it as a double flat. It would help to know the multiple names that notes and chords have.

[ThatmanRo]

lol. I think it's because everytime a keyboard player plays a groove and this is how the conversation goes all the time, "Hey doc what key is that in?" reply: "Ab"....  I played in a workshop last week and it's like the board player picked almost everysong that was in an "Ab"....  shout music started out in a C keyboard player looks back and scream, go to ???? say it along with me everyone.... Together: "Ab"

[Gibby]

lol. I think it's because everytime a keyboard player plays a groove and this is how the conversation goes all the time, "Hey doc what key is that in?" reply: "Ab"....  I played in a workshop last week and it's like the board player picked almost everysong that was in an "Ab"....  shout music started out in a C keyboard player looks back and scream, go to ???? say it along with me everyone.... Together: "Ab"

LOL!!!

What's the point in standard tuning if no one wants to play in all keys!?

makes you wanna tune down a 1/2 step...

[T-Block]

I don't get it either.  I mean, isn't the fingering universal for every key on the guitar?  It is for the bass.  Of course, u gonna run into those octave problems, but the fingering shouldn't be that big of a deal, should it?

[kodacolor]

Except we are not only playing notes. We are playing chords. More in modern CCM then in Gospel music we want the chord voicing with open strings ringing out and in many cases want to avoid barring to hit a flat key chord which will mute faster when we change chords.

OOOOOHHHHH!!!  *slaps her forehead with the palm of her hand*

[T-Block]

Except we are not only playing notes. We are playing chords. More in modern CCM then in Gospel music we want the chord voicing with open strings ringing out and in many cases want to avoid barring to hit a flat key chord which will mute faster when we change chords.

OHHHHH, I see.  Looks like I'll have to relearn the guitar to see experience what yall talking about.