[Dixielandjazz] Dr. Jazz.>>Tunes In Different Keys

[BudTuba at aol.com]

In a message dated 10/22/03 4:11:15 AM Eastern Daylight Time, 
jazzmin at actcom.net.il writes:

> For our fledgling players out there, which we all were once, I never met a 
> tune
> that couldn't be played and sung in either C or F. I've played in some banjo
> bands that transpose all the tunes to the nearest one or the other. And I've
> heard it said that Buddy Bolden used to play everything in B-flat (C on his
> trumpet).....



> 
> I've found it's also good to learn standard songs in the
> standard keys. Each key has its own subtle "personality", and some songs 
> just
> sound better in certain keys. 

The issue of playing in different keys is important to present your band as 
actually playing different songs.  Ironically, to many people, if you play 
everything in the same key (to make it easy on your lead instruments, for example) 
they will not realize that you have finished one song and started another.  
So it is important to vary the style of songs, the tempos, and the keys as the 
gig wears on so that each song will stand out on its own.

Bud Taylor
Smugtown Stompers
Rochester, NY
Traditional Jazz since 1958