What’s Your Favorite Key?

When I was in my undergrad, I write a huge report on the “Doctrine of the Affections” which analyzed the tuning systems of the first few hundred years of pianos, the “feelings” that were associated with each key, and why composers liked specific keys for specific purposes. So, I was delighted to find this recently:

Classical Composers’ Favorite Keys

I thought this infographic might be interesting to my classical music friends. Beethoven seemed to love Eb Major and Mozart loved C Major (no surprise there)…but check out the graphic for other interesting details! Though we usually use some form of equal temperment these days, I still feel like certain keys have different moods. This is probably because of the history of piano pieces we have in specific keys (lots of D Major pieces that are triumphant since that particular key was really good for that mood in the and 17th and 18th centuries, so we often associated D Major with a royal and triumphant sound). Nonetheless, there might be something to the doctrine still in our day. What do you think? Do you have a favorite key? Please comment below!

The bottom half of the key represents Major keys and the top half of a key represents minor keys. The N value represents the number of compositions that were analyzed and the percentage recorded indicates the most often used key by that composer.

8 thoughts on “What’s Your Favorite Key?”

  1. I love geeking out about this!!! A minor has been my favorite key since college, but I also love B-flat Major. I always say that the theme key for my studio is D Major since it seems to fit for Sunnyside Piano Studio. Thanks for sharing!

  2. This is absolutely fascinating! I find that my favourite key changes. These few weeks I’ve been really drawn to Eb major. There was this long period in my life where I really liked B major and times when my heart is heavy and Eb minor or A minor were more frequently played in my technique practising or improvising! Thanks for sharing this Wendy!

  3. Thanks Wendy!

    I just found your blog (time for me to start connecting with other piano teachers and composers?…), and in particular this article. I think it’s a great topic- I’m reminded of, “D minor, the saddest of all keys” (10 points for anyone who can name the movie without Googling it.)

    Natalie and I would get along well sharing a keyboard. I also like Gb. I tend to make it into F Locrian- I think- when I improvise, falling down to the F almost like a downward-facing leading tone..

    I wonder if some of our perceptions of mood vs key are a result of how they FEEL in our hands in addition to how they sound and vibrate our bodies.

    Thanks for stimulating!

  4. Poor D-Flat!! NOBODY used it!!!

    Seriously, this is interesting.. Gives one a “strategy” for choosing what keys to work in, and what composers use them. Better get your C and Eb scales and exercises DOWN cold first, right?

    ::))

  5. I don’t know about you guys but my favorite key is Bb minor. It’s so haunting and pretty and as you go through a song with Bb minor has some of the prettiest chords. I also really like Eb minor. (Wow i guess I’m really into sad music). Those are my favorites though!

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