What's Your Favorite Key?

JPsuff

Blackstar Artist
Though I can point out many positives for a variety of keys in which to play, I'd have to say that F minor or F# minor are favorites for me.

Aside from the overall tones, it's the access to the fretboard that I like best.
In F minor for example, The bottom end starts with a full box (unlike Em which is basically Nut-3rd fret, Nut 2nd fret, etc.) and from there I can go through all five box shapes before the 12th fret and I can even reach up into the dusty end of the fretboard and access relevant frets and strings without needing Jimi's fingers.
So overall, I think F minor/F#minor is possibly the most useful key in which to play (plus they're often used Funk keys and I love me some funk). :cool:

So what are your favorite keys?
 

dvs

Green Mountain Blues
This would've been an easier question to answer a few years ago. Since then I've quit drinking, plus they've switched from glass bottles to aluminum cans for pretty much any beer worthy of the name, but I'm still going with "Church Key."
 
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PapaRaptor

Father Vyvian O'Blivion
Staff member
I don't think I could really specify a favorite key, especially for soloing.
But I absolutely hate Eb. For some reason, my brain and fingers don't want to play Eb.
 

JPsuff

Blackstar Artist
I don't think I could really specify a favorite key, especially for soloing.
But I absolutely hate Eb. For some reason, my brain and fingers don't want to play Eb.
That's interesting because I love Eb, I just don't bother to tune the whole guitar down to it so I really can't access the lowest notes.
I also like Ab and Bb.
 

Elwood

Blues
I spend some time on the acoustics and I believe that shapes my preference. Trying to pick some friendly notes out of chords going by, and being a lazy guy, I find myself liking those keys that use open strings on the guitar. Also the ones that are just "easy". So, E and Em, so many chances to find friendly notes on the guitar. G & Gm (after all, Griff's pent scale box patterns are based on Gm!), A, Am, D & Dm. and C can bring out some things I didn't see before.
That is for trying to just play and get by.
I think for soloing, with my current skill, one key is as good as another. Depends on the tune and how I would try the solo - plus - what the neck is like on my "solo" guitar. If the neck offers lots of access above the 12th fret (like 24 fret fingerboards do) it matters even less, just a matter of how high pitched I feel is good.
For singing along it really matters on the melody of the tune, or at least how I plan to try the melody. This is really tricky for me. Without considering the specific tune, I can't really generalize and say "I sing better in G" or whatever. I am frequently surprised at what key I feel more comfortable singing a given tune in. Really depends on the melody that I "hear" when I try to sing.
So @JPsuff , I guess that amounts to "I dunno". :Beer:
 

RobertYoung186

Blues Student/enthusiast
E and A. On acoustic, E because you can use open strings, A because I sort of know which notes are on either side of the fifth fret.
 

david moon

Attempting the Blues
For bass I like the "flat" keys. They turn up a lot in musical theater. I've even seen key of Cb. Yep 7 flats.

F, Bb, Eb have a lot of opportunities to use open strings.
 

JohnHurley

Rock and Roll
It has to be E and Em then F/Fmin … just because. A and Am.

Theres nothing wrong with C. I like Eb but am too lazy to tune down.
 
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MarkDyson

Blues Hound Wannabe
For acoustic rhythm, playing mainly open chords, I'm fond of D and G, as I'm adept at flowing through the sus2/sus4 forms of those chords and they sound pleasing to me.

For blues rhythm, any key where I can get away with the open string power chords because that pinky stretch to play them in closed form is simply impossible for me, no matter how closely I follow the recommended hand and arm positions. My fingers simply do not stretch that wide and arthritis means they probably never will.
 

Paleo

Student Of The Blues
Sorry but I have to ask.

Are we talking actual keys or blues "keys".

Depending on that I would have to consider my approach.

Am I going to play only minor pentatonic boxes or mix Major and minor or go diatonic with Major/"Modal" patterns?

If pentatonic boxes, there's no need to always start in Box 1 to work my way up.

Depending on the key different boxes are my "lowest" option, open or closed.

For example, I've never "tuned down to Eb". I just start in Box 2.

Which could also be considered Griff's "4 Note Solo Pattern" anchored on the 2nd string Eb.

I don't have a favorite key.

My goal that led me to Griff was to be able to be comfortable playing whatever I want wherever I need to on the fretboard.

Regardless of the key.

(It’s an ongoing goal. I ain’t claiming I’m there yet.)
 
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