how could black keys create a jazzier feel? as a bass player i can play the same exact thing in any key and have it sound exactly the same. it has to do with the player and playing style, not the fact that there are black keys involved.
The jazz and blues blackground of the Black Gospel sound definitely plays a lot into this...They allow for more use of chromatics during improvisation. Also many of the old Negro spirituals were sung in black keys. I think they are naturally more natural to us...well the sound is...
this is why the black keys "sound jazzier/funkier". also someone pointed out that for all the negro spirituals, the melody can be played using only the black keys. that might have some significance of WHY they picked those notes, but further observation would show that the black keys only form either of 2 scales,
F# major pentatonic
or Eb minor pentatonic
and we all know that the major and minor pentatonic scales are the most simple, fundamental and commonly used scales (simply a shell of the major and natural minor scales) in western music.
often time, any music thats guitar based is in (CCM often is) is in natural keys, because the nature of the instrument (chording and open strings) lends itself to being easier for people in those keys. Piano or organ (contemporary gospel) tends to be in flat keys because players tend to find these keys easier. Remember everything in Funk music was in the key of E back in the 70s for the simple fact that the bass player had to slap that low open string (his lowest note) which was an E on a 4 string bass tuned standard. I've come across a lot of orchestra songs that were in C, because Concert C is easiest to transpose for other instruments like Bb and Eb sax and a lot of the other woodwind instruments.
The problem with this is that if you stick to a particular style, you will most likely be stronger in certain keys. Many shun other styles simply because it challenges them in their weaker keys, but others welcome it to make them more well rounded. A side effect (well for me anyway) is that your style of play isnt universal in all keys since depending on the key, ur playing a different style of music.
Not a black/white thing. Just a big coincidence. who wouldve thought.
