Which accidental has the better keys?

[oyasumi]

The Sharps (D Major, F# Major, C# minor, etc.) vs. the Flats (E flat Major, D minor, etc.)

[jochanaan]

What?  No answers?  Well, I suppose in the long run the flats have the edge.  In orchestral and chamber music, it's about even between flat keys and sharp ones; but in concert band music and jazz, there's much more music in flat keys because many band instruments transpose to flat keys: Bb clarinets, bass and contrabass clarinets, trumpets, and tenor saxophones; Eb clarinets, alto clarinet, alto and baritone saxophones; and F horn.  Even trombones, euphoniums/baritone horns, and tubas are more comfortable in flat keys because they're pitched in Bb even though their music is written non-transposing.  There is also an obsolete Db piccolo!

[Gurn Blanston]

I have to disagree and go with sharps. Much of my favorite major key music is written in G, D or A, respectively 1, 2 or 3 sharps. Of course, since Haydn wrote much of his best stuff in those three keys, that rather sways my opinion.

[ibanezmonster]

What?  No answers?  Well, I suppose in the long run the flats have the edge.  In orchestral and chamber music, it's about even between flat keys and sharp ones; but in concert band music and jazz, there's much more music in flat keys because many band instruments transpose to flat keys: Bb clarinets, bass and contrabass clarinets, trumpets, and tenor saxophones; Eb clarinets, alto clarinet, alto and baritone saxophones; and F horn.  Even trombones, euphoniums/baritone horns, and tubas are more comfortable in flat keys because they're pitched in Bb even though their music is written non-transposing.  There is also an obsolete Db piccolo!

Yep, considering the key of a lot of wind instruments, writing in a flat key would be easier than a sharp key. Though for strings and keyboards, naturals are almost always more... natural. 

[Todd]

Flats.  (The Eroica is in E flat.  'Nuff sed.)

[Cato]

F# minor, B minor, C# minor.

[Dax]

Though for strings and keyboards, naturals are almost always more... natural. 

Not necessarily so for keyboards? Keys like C# minor and Ab minor can be quite quite convenient for the hands.

[jochanaan]

...and Ab minor...

I suppose everyone here has heard the joke about what key you get when you drop a piano down a mine shaft?