What's the difference between the keys of D flat major and C sharp major?

Question

Besides that one uses sharps and the other uses flats. You end up using the same set of black keys. They overlap in the Circle of 5th in my piano book, ad do G flat/F sharp and C flat/B sharp. Why is this?

And yes, I'm new at this (I'm trying to teach myself piano).

Answer 1

they are identical in sound but in notation they are quite different it is generally preferable to write in D flat as opposed to C# because not only does D flat have 2 less incidentals than C# (5 flats vs. 7 sharps) but if you write in C# you will very likely end up having to use double sharps, notated thus: x

For an example of this kind of thing, check out the music to Beethovens famous "moonlight" sonata. It is written in C# minor. but notice in the second movement of the sonata when Beethoven switches to the relative major (C# major ) he chooses to write it as Db major. the key of C# major is rarely used by composers.

Answer 2

It is surprising and saddening to me how much completely wrong information I have read thus far. For starters, C# is a key. And to that one person's post ... it has a B#, not a B. Though some people have hit the nail on the head, C# is an enharmonic equivalent to Db. You know what that means? By definition "enharmonic" more or less means "sounds the same". I'll tell you what, go play a C# on a piano.. get it in your ear.. then play a Db... if you tell me you hear a difference you're wrong. Better yet, try playing a C# major chord (C#, E#, G#), followed shortly by a Db major chord (Db, F, Ab). Again, it will sound the same. YES, the ONLY difference is in the writing. People who are truely proficient on their instrument will no approach music differently based on the writing. For instance, someone mentioned that a violinist would. Wrong. Though, typically, string players prefer sharped key signatures, in this case it would not matter. The only reason certain keys are prefered is because of hand positions. BUT, since the notes would not be different, hand position wouldn't matter at all and a proficient violinist would know that. Lastly, if you truly believe that you hear a difference between pieces written in C# and pieces written in Db it can be for one of two reasons: 1) you simply WANT them to feel different. or (and this is more likely) 2) it just so happens that the pieces you've heard in one key sound a certain way because they're written that way, and vise versa. I've heard a lot of music in the key of... let's say.. F major. I'll tell you what.. sometimes it sounds angry, sometimes it sounds sweet, and otherwise. But it's always F, just composed differently. Consider that. And for all the people who truly think they're different sounding, or different in technical difficulty, read a book.

Answer 3

C Sharp Major

Answer 4

D Flat Major

Answer 5

The difference is that you are reading seven sharps or five flats on the staff. A musician needs to be able to play from either. There are many reasons as to why one may score a piece in sharps instead of flats or vice-versa. One reason is the voicing of the instrument. It is more natural say for brass to play flats. Another reason would be the flow of the composition. In classical music, you may be coming off of another opus written in flats, so it would be preferable to keep the consistency.

Answer 6

its because if you have D flat major you would have ALOT of double flatsand/or double sharps. that is confusing to play. its easier to stick to the easier stuff.