Need help with key

I'm writing a song for a cello, three violins, and a piano. What key would be best to write it in??

Any key is fine - a more important thing to bear in mind is the range of those instruments.

In my experience, string players don't like keys with lots of flats. (And also lots of sharps, since Gb and F# are the same key).

I think most keys are fine, but avoid something like D# minor...

Also consider whom the piece is being written for. Amateurs will have more trouble with keys than professionals.

I love D sharp minor, my favourite pieces are all in that key (or Ebminor) scriabins 8 12 etude, chopins 14th prelude, rachmaninovs elegy...

sorry i meant playing on piano, not strings

And besides, D# minor isn't the same as Eb minor on the strings. At least not in the way you think about it while playing it.

(my earlier point about Gb and F# being the same was not about difficulty of playing, but about amount of sharps or flats)

Because of the open strings, it is best for keys where important notes (i.e. tonic or fifth or fourth) to be the open strings. However, they don't have vibrato.

Yes, open strings are important for multiple stops, but don't worry too much about that influencing the key - you'll be able to multiple stop anyway - it just might not be as sonorous.

And open strings can have vibrato.

And open strings can have vibrato.

ut don't worry too much about that influencing the key

Yes, there is a reason lots of violin concertos are in D. D is an easy key for violins, and it has a bunch of chords which are based around the open strings.

However, why write a concerto in D, when a concerto in Bb will work fine as well. You won't get as many open-string-containing multiple stops, and some passages won't be as easy, but you can still use the key with no problems.

As for vibrato, the player will hold down a note on another string, and vibrate it, and the open string will have vibrato due to that. I don't see what makes that less real than any other vibrato.

As for vibrato, the player will hold down a note on another string, and vibrate it, and the open string will have vibrato due to that. I don't see what makes that less real than any other vibrato.

Isn't there a way where you finger the octave above it on the next string, and that's supposed to do the trick? Or is that something else?

Isn't there a way where you finger the octave above it on the next string, and that's supposed to do the trick? Or is that something else?

Amazon.com: theta's review of Study of Orchestration, Third Edition

Just curious -- Why Low G String Vibrato? [Archive] - northernsounds.com

I'm writing a song for a cello, three violins, and a piano. What key would be best to write it in??

I would agree with the others posting here that any key would do just fine.

You could also consider specifying certain tunings for the cello and violins especially if you want to take advantage of the open strings in your song. Just make sure that your suggested tunings do not make fingerings very difficult for the players. It would be nice if your composition could take advantage of the open strings as it would really show off the range of the cello and the violins. :D

Isn't there a way where you finger the octave above it on the next string, and that's supposed to do the trick? Or is that something else?

That's what Daniel was describing, it isn't as strong as straight up vibrato, but it is vibrato.

Write in whatever key makes the music sound best to you. It's the performers job to get over the technical aspects of the music and make it their own. Of course there's give and taking (Meaning you don't write anything stupid)