I’ll be candid with you – I REALLY DON’T LIKE TO PLAY THE KEYBOARD IN THE KEY OF B!  So, if you think you’re odd because you want to transpose songs to Bb or C instead of B, you can stop being so hard on yourself because you’re in the majority!!!

Recently at church, one of my students was playing the keyboard and I was playing organ as we sang “Glorious” in the key of B.  Our Pastor had hinted that he would probably lead out into an “old school” chorus immediately after that song.  

Knowing that we could get “stuck” playing the “old school” chorus in B, I advised my student to “get out of B and into another key as soon as you can after we sing “Glorious”.   I didn’t have time to explain WHY.  Well—he delayed just a fraction of a second too long and guess what—the Pastor pitched the “old school” song in the Key of B!  My poor student just stood there like a deer in headlights and soon turned around and asked me “What key are we in?”  I just grinned at him and said “We’re in B!”  I didn’t have the heart to tell him “I told you so!”

Fortunately, after playing 100 years, I have been “stuck” playing in B many times and I know how to think through the progressions in the Key of B so we made it.  AND—after the first time through the “old school” chorus, I was able to catch the Pastor’s eye and gave a thumbs-up indicating that we needed to raise the song and he nodded.  So, we just smoothly moved into the WONDERFUL key of C!

Two lessons can be learned with this experience

• Usually an experienced singer will PITCH in the KEY they HEAR being played.  So, if you want a song started in a particular key, get in that key and allow them time to HEAR that pitch.  Most people cannot pitch into another key when they are hearing another key being played.

• Take the time to LEARN to THINK in EVERY KEY—at least the I, IV and V—JUST IN CASE!!!