Yes, seriously, a lot of this has to do with our accepted equi-tempered pitchtable. Without getting too technical, this pitchtable adjusts and lowers each note by minute amounts (microtones) until it "sounds right" to our ears. The intervals between each pitched note varies - which is why some keys sound different than others, and really what the original posting was all about.

Graham, you are right - Transposing on the keyboard IS different because it adjusts all of these intervals equally, and you don't get the subtle differences that Brian mentions. I also play mainly string instruments and often use the capo on them for exactly the reasons you speak of.

Key bias can become a major problem when you use ethnic instruments that are not based on the equi-tempered pitch table. In some cases, these instruments really only sound good to our ears in one key.

Tom Tracy
http://www.soundclick.com/tomtracy