[Dixielandjazz] What is it about the key of F

[Bill Gunter]

Listmates, especially you keyboard players,

What is it about the key of F? I find it a very comfortable key also.

I know the saloon piano players like Ringwald are probably comfortable in 
any key. I know that when Ringwald and bassist Dick Maloof were at San Juan 
High School in California it was almost a daily exercise for the two of them 
to go into a practice booth in the music department and do their "ritual" 
which consisted of taking a song (any song) and playing it in all twelve 
keys! Bob probably doesn't care what key he plays.

But personally, I find that single Bb black key acts as sort of an anchor. 
You always know where you are on the keyboard when you know where that Bb 
is. It's the 1 note of the sub-dominant and the 7th note of the dominant 
which resolves you right back to the tonic. But then I'm a washboard player 
and I need all the help I can get!  :)

Also, F is the easiest key to sing the most popular song in our culture . . 
. "Happy Birthday to You."

Respectfully submitted,

Bill "Thimbles" Gunter
jazzboard@hotmail.com






>From: "John Farrell" <stridepiano@tesco.net>
>To: "Ivor Jones" <banjones@oninet.pt>,"DJML" 
><dixielandjazz@ml.islandnet.com>
>Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] ACE IN THE HOLE
>Date: Wed, 4 Dec 2002 10:32:34 -0000
>
>Every band I've played this with does it in Ab, not F.
>
>Which reminds me, when I sat in with Cell Block 7 (on a horrible toy
>piano!!) during one of their UK tours they played Dr. Jazz in F, not the
>usual Eb. If I had my way every tune would be played in F, my most
>comfortable key.
>
>John Farrell
>stridepiano@tesco.net
>http://homepages.tesco.net/~stridepiano/midifiles.htm
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Ivor Jones" <banjones@oninet.pt>
>To: "DJML" <dixielandjazz@ml.islandnet.com>
>Sent: Wednesday, December 04, 2002 9:30 AM
>Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] ACE IN THE HOLE
>
>
> > There were probably no fake books in England in the '50s  and when I 
>look
>at
> > my old 1950's chord books, books that you build up by yourself as you
>listen
> > to other bands and 78s, I find that I have the same chords as Tony Orr. 
>In
> > my current chord book I have AITH in Ab. We do not play the tune, but 
>does
> > anybody play it in Ab ? And where did I get these chords ? I can't
>remember.
> >
> > Ivor Jones in sunny Portugal
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
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> > Dixielandjazz@ml.islandnet.com
> > http://ml.islandnet.com/mailman/listinfo/dixielandjazz
>
>
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