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Playing By Ear (Mostly Black Keyes) - Graham UK - 03-24-2026
I started my arranger playing many years ago from LeadSheet with Chords, remember the Kenneth Baker books?
Question...Why do Many Play By Ear players chose to play mostly the BLACK Keys. ?
RE: Playing By Ear (Mostly Black Keyes) - ChrisHarding - 03-24-2026
Interesting concept Graham
I only play by ear and only use the white keys (mostly in C Major) and stay away from the black keys unless absolutely necessary. Just for interest do you use mainly black or white keys? Are the black keys easier? I find it's easier to pick out a melody with the white keys. BTW: I cannot read a single note of music.
Chris
RE: Playing By Ear (Mostly Black Keyes) - Chello - 03-24-2026
⚅Graham & ✪Chris
This is a very interesting question, which I have wondered about for many years.
When I started playing the accordion at the age of 15, I did this Play By Ear.
My father, who was a semi-professional musician, wondered why I always used the BLACK keys, and I replied that I thought this sounded better - my chosen key was also always lower than the other one used.
My father often accompanied me on the guitar when I played, and this meant extra work for him, with unfamiliar grips on the guitar.
Other musicians also found it challenging to play with me for the same reason, while truly professional musicians loved it.
I feel that when I do not play in the chamber tone (440 Hz), but in Pythagoras (426.7 Hz), something similar happens: The music becomes more alive.
My experience is also that it is easier to play with the white keys, and this is also significantly easier when playing from sheets.
I have some understanding of sheets and theory, but I never use sheets.
And everything sounds better with black keys...
Many players who learn by ear prefer the black keys because they are "foolproof," allowing for immediate, pleasant-sounding improvisation without the risk of hitting a "wrong" note.
The black keys are arranged in a pentatonic scale (a five-note scale), which lacks the harsh dissonant intervals found on the white keys.
RE: Playing By Ear (Mostly Black Keyes) - Hugh Wallington - 03-31-2026
Graham,
I too am an 'ear player' .. and cannot read a single note of music. But I often have sheet music up in front of me as I do follow the chords written on the music (the letters). So I suppose it comes down to what chords I am playing as to whether or not I play any black notes. The chords I can form without having to think about what notes are in the chord are those in the keys of C, F and G. I have my SPLIT POINT set at G rather than F# so I can include that top G in the A7 chord.
If I have some sheet music that is in say Eb and I am playing the piece in G .. then I write the chords I am playing onto the sheet music in red ink. It's the melody line I 'play by ear' so am not reading the melody notes on the sheet music. Although I can't tell you the actual notes represented, I can see how long a note is held, and how the notes fit into the bar. I suppose this comes from singing in a choir. So my music must look very strange to someone who does read music. Melody line in one key; and chords written in red ink in another.
Sheet music without the chord letters written on it is of no use to me. So when I used to order sheet music from our music shop I always insisted that they made sure the chords were written on it. Then one day, when I ordered the music for Petite Fleur .. it arrived with the chords written on it OK .. but in tonic-sol-fah! So had eg. ray .. soh7 etc. written on it. As I do know my scales in those three keys I play in, this meant I didn't have to write the chords in red ink to suit the key I was playing it in.
Hugh
RE: Playing By Ear (Mostly Black Keyes) - ChrisHarding - 03-31-2026
Hi Hugh
All very interesting. In my early days I used to play keyboards in a rock band and all I used to do is have a handwritten sheet for each song with the chord names only in sequence ..timing was up to me but having played guitar I treated the chords as a guitar player would see them so it was simply a list of the chords for the verse, chorus and middle 8 sections. When I experienced the joy of single finger chords with both Yamaha and Casio it was a LOT easier to forsake stretched fingers with full left hand chords and be able to get to FMaj7th with just 3 fingers all close together! I know it's sorta cheating but it is easier and the Tyros 4 makes it sound good!!!
Chris
RE: Playing By Ear (Mostly Black Keyes) - Hugh Wallington - 04-01-2026
Chris,
What you have said above about playing SINGLE FINGER Mode has got me thinking! What happens if you have selected a Left Hand Voice? Take a look at my thoughts on this ...
https://chellos-keyboard-players-club.com/Thread-Chord-Fingering-TYPE-and-using-a-Left-Hand-Chord?pid=32917#pid32917
Hugh
RE: Playing By Ear (Mostly Black Keyes) - ChrisHarding - 04-01-2026
Hi Hugh
Very interesting concept and yes there is a difference but I'm wondering if we actually notice it when we play simply because we are not just playing individual notes and nothing else but the full style backing kicks in so it's less obvious to our ears.
If I play a sequence of chords using single finger it's very obvious to the ear that I'm using an auto chord generation as it does sound a little strange if you play only the chords without the backing but with the full style backing you seldom notice it!
To be honest when I played live rock gigs in the band my little keyboard then had no styles, no backing (the other band members provided that) and importantly no single finger option so I have little option use full fingered chords cos that was all I had. Your demo in the other post would be very interesting if you did a comparison using a full blown style and half way changed from single finger to fingered chords. Would the change be as obvious? Great post from you and it opened my eyes to taking to "easy route"
Chris
RE: Playing By Ear (Mostly Black Keyes) - Hugh Wallington - 04-02-2026
Chris .. as we have moved away from Graham's original Thread asking why people who 'play by ear' choose mostly to play the BLACK keys, I am continuing our conversation here:
https://chellos-keyboard-players-club.com/Thread-Chord-Fingering-TYPE-and-using-a-Left-Hand-Chord?pid=32936#pid32936
Hugh
RE: Playing By Ear (Mostly Black Keyes) - Hugh Wallington - 04-03-2026
Graham,
To get back to your question as to why ‘ear players’ tend to play only BLACK keys.
Chello has made an interesting observation here:
Many players who learn by ear prefer the black keys because they are "foolproof," allowing for immediate, pleasant-sounding improvisation without the risk of hitting a "wrong" note.
The black keys are arranged in a pentatonic scale (a five-note scale), which lacks the harsh dissonant intervals found on the white keys.
You can see (and hear) an example of what Chello is on about, here.
Lang Lang plays the black keys etude with an apple
Hugh
RE: Playing By Ear (Mostly Black Keyes) - aprilla - 07-01-2026
I use sheet music so I don't really have a preference, I just do as I'm told... but I would have thought most ear playing would be mixed keys, either in the key the player is familiar with from the original song, or to suit a singer if there is one, or the player sings. Or just wherever you start off from. Most I know that play by ear play in keys that suit the singer, so keys could vary. That, or they just follow whoever started playing/singing first lol
Interesting.
Quote:--- remember the Kenneth Baker books
I remember them, I think I still have a couple. They were great. I knew about chords from piano but had never played with chords as accompaniment. Music teacher did not approve!