Transposing keys

[Saxfella]

here’s a topic for you theorists. Briefly, while playing at a gig, a guest vocalist did a song (I think it was “Give Me A Reason”) and the concert key was F#. However, one of the band players shouted out G#. Of course for saxophonists the key given should always be the concert key and, by convention, we have to make the corresponding key change. In any event the transposed key is not G#, but Ab!
In the heat of the moment, I’m trying to think G#, “What is he talking about”? And then the light bulb went on.
Stringed instrument players rarely give a chord or key in flats. It’s always in sharps. I’m guessing it’s the way that guitar/bass players learn their instrument, i.e., the shape of chords. Have you also noticed that when a C blues scale (or probably any other scale) is notated that the fifth is not notated as a flat, but the fourth is notated as a sharp to accomplish the same end. Interesting indeed.

[john]

Yes good points. There are certain “same” notes that get called something more so than others… for example, Bb is used more than A#.
F# is used more than Gb. Ab is used more than G#. Eb is used more than D#. In your example of G# and Ab, it’s actually more poplar to use the Ab. They are the same note but when you have to think of their respective scales you’re better off thinking in Ab, here’s why…
The major scale is constructed like this: wholetone, wholetone, halftone, wholetone, wholetone, wholetone, halftone. So in C it looks like this following the example of tones just noted: C D E F G A B C.
An Ab scale then is Ab Bb C Db etc
A G# scale is G# A# B# C#
Do you see the difference? Who wants to deal with a B#? It’s a C note so we don’t want to deal with calling a C a B# it’s just not as easy for the brain.

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