# Major or Minor key?



## beetzart (Dec 30, 2009)

When you are looking at new works, say the list of English Suites by JS Bach, do you listen to the major or minor key works first? Or are you not really fussed? Personally I always pick minor key pieces initially. I have an infatuation with C,D, and F minor, something about the keys that always produces the most passionate compositions, That is just my view, I just find playing pieces in F sharp, or C sharp minor harder then the flat minor keys.


----------



## aleazk (Sep 30, 2011)

um, is not something that I really care. I simply listen to the piece.


----------



## Vesteralen (Jul 14, 2011)

Many of the classical guitar pieces I play move from major to relative minor and back again, so I get the best of both worlds.


----------



## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

I like the major keys and minor keys when they sound like major keys.


----------



## Klavierspieler (Jul 16, 2011)

Generally, I listen to things in order.


----------



## Ramako (Apr 28, 2012)

Yeah I start from 1 too and work my way up 

However, often in the Classical era, Haydn-Beethoven, minor works are a safer choice and have a higher average quality because they are so fewer in number than their counterparts.


----------



## Manok (Aug 29, 2011)

Whichever itunes picks first.


----------



## ComposerOfAvantGarde (Dec 2, 2011)

Generally I listen to things ordered by avant-gardeness


----------



## neoshredder (Nov 7, 2011)

D minor. The saddest of all keys. Makes you weep instantly.  So yeah minor for me.


----------



## ComposerOfAvantGarde (Dec 2, 2011)

neoshredder said:


> D minor. The saddest of all keys. Makes you weep instantly.  So yeah minor for me.


Prokofiev's second piano sonata makes you cry?


----------



## neoshredder (Nov 7, 2011)

That line was from the movie Spinal Tap. But yeah minor doesn't have to be depressing.


----------



## ComposerOfAvantGarde (Dec 2, 2011)

neoshredder said:


> That line was from the movie Spinal Tap. But yeah minor doesn't have to be depressing.


What is Spinal Tap?


----------



## neoshredder (Nov 7, 2011)

A fictional rock band that basically mocks the rock scene of its time. Starting from the 60's and basically dying out in the 80's. Very funny movie. lol and they did a metal version of Boccherini's famous Quintet.


----------



## BurningDesire (Jul 15, 2012)

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> What is Spinal Tap?


you make me sad sometime o3o


----------



## ComposerOfAvantGarde (Dec 2, 2011)

neoshredder said:


> A fictional rock band that basically mocks the rock scene of its time. Starting from the 60's and basically dying out in the 80's. Very funny movie. lol and they did a metal version of Boccherini's famous Quintet.


The fandango quintet is the only one I'm familiar with.


----------



## neoshredder (Nov 7, 2011)

You haven't heard the Minuet in String Quintet in E Op.13/5?


----------



## ComposerOfAvantGarde (Dec 2, 2011)

neoshredder said:


> You haven't heard the Minuet in String Quintet in E Op.13/5?


Oh that yes I have. I was thinking of his guitar quintets.


----------



## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

I guess I have a long way to go. I couldn't begin to answer if or what my favorite minor or major key is. From my past studies, i think what happens is because our musical scale has a couple uneven steps, then the key that the piece is started in has a major influence on how it sounds, but it is all very mysterious to me. But I do listen to music that sounds good and figure the composer knew what he was doing when he picked the key.


----------



## brianvds (May 1, 2013)

Never mind major and minor keys. I always go for the modal pieces first.


----------



## SONNET CLV (May 31, 2014)

brianvds said:


> Never mind major and minor keys. I always go for the modal pieces first.


It's perhaps a minor quibble of a major issue, but major and minor keys are models of modals, Ionian and Aeolian, to key in precisely.

"Go modal." (But please don't look up that phrase on a Google Image search.)

In any case, I can never find my keys when I need them, so what do I know?!


----------



## brianvds (May 1, 2013)

SONNET CLV said:


> It's perhaps a minor quibble of a major issue, but major and minor keys are models of modals, Ionian and Aeolian, to key in precisely.


Yes, indeed, but as far as I know, when we talk about modal music, it is generally taken to mean "all the modes excepts the major and minor ones." So quit splitting Phrygian hair over minor issues or we'll have a major blow-up here...


----------



## StevenOBrien (Jun 27, 2011)

B# major.


----------



## SONNET CLV (May 31, 2014)

And remember ... don't B#, don't B♭-- B ♮ .


----------



## Mahlerian (Nov 27, 2012)

brianvds said:


> Yes, indeed, but as far as I know, when we talk about modal music, it is generally taken to mean "all the modes excepts the major and minor ones." So quit splitting Phrygian hair over minor issues or we'll have a major blow-up here...


Actually, there is a distinct difference between music written in the Renaissance in the Ionian mode and music from the Baroque in the major. Major and minor keys are based on harmonic function (until you get to the 20th century), modes are not, or at least not consistently so.


----------



## brianvds (May 1, 2013)

Mahlerian said:


> Actually, there is a distinct difference between music written in the Renaissance in the Ionian mode and music from the Baroque in the major. Major and minor keys are based on harmonic function (until you get to the 20th century), modes are not, or at least not consistently so.


So does that mean I was right all along?


----------



## Mahlerian (Nov 27, 2012)

brianvds said:


> So does that mean I was right all along?


That there's a difference between major/minor key based pieces and modal ones? Of course. There's also a difference between late 19th/early 20th century modal music and modal music before 1700.


----------



## stevens (Jun 23, 2014)

I dont select piece on basis of key. BUT its peculiarly that there is so many famous piano pieces in C sharp minor. 
("Moonlight", "Fantasie-impromtu" "Prelude" (Rach), etc)
Sharps or Flats or none of them does not matter for me as pianist (ok..I dont like C sharp *major*)


----------

