# (Music) Fake books in different keys! Help! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 21, 2009, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-fake-books-in-different-keys-help/493868 "2009-04-21T17:50:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2009, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-fake-books-in-different-keys-help/493868/1 "2009-04-21T17:50:56Z")
I recently (last night) started an 8-week jazz vocal workshop, and am looking to buy some new sheet music – and maybe my first fake book. I found a book that I like, and it’s available in both C and B[sup]b[/sup]: how do I know which to get? Does it even really matter for voice? ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2009, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-fake-books-in-different-keys-help/493868/2 "2009-04-21T18:01:55Z")
For voice, get the one that’s in C. The one in Bb is for trumpet players and tenor/soprano sax players, the one in Eb is for alto/bari sax players. The Bb and Eb books don’t usually contain the lyrics. As long as it has the lyrics, it wouldn’t really matter as you’d be matching the pitch that the rest of the band is playing, but if you stopped and said ‘Give me an A, would you?’ you’d find that the rest of the band wouldn’t understand why you were a tone out from them… ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2009, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-fake-books-in-different-keys-help/493868/3 "2009-04-21T18:36:42Z")
Thank you! 🙂