Simpedia

Mark M., New York

For C instruments does not mean all the songs are in the key of C. It means it’s for instruments whose sheet music is written in the standard way we’re most familiar with. Some band instruments’ sheet music is written differently, including at times with clefs different from bass/treble, and they are said to be instruments in a different key from C.

All piano sheet music written on standard bass/treble clef staves is sheet music for C instruments. The piano is a C instrument.

Jen P., Utah

Thanks! I’ve seen where someone said that a lot of the “easy fake books” are written in key of C (instead of the original keys) and I figured I didn’t want that.

Mark M., New York

Right, that’s different. I personally always recommend regular fake books rather than easy ones. I don’t like books where everything is transposed into the key of C. You practice certain chords way more often and other ones way less often.

Jeff O., Massachusetts

Bb and Eb fake books are for winds and brass. Saxes and clarinets but not oboes! Trumpets but not trombones! SOME French horns! The purpose is to get most of the instrument’s range ON the staff.