And just to add my little bit of wisdom (and confusion) to the mix . . . did yall know that -40°C and -40°F are exactly the same temperature?
No need to thank me . . . just doing that as a public service 
Cheers
Joe
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Mmmm, I don’t agree.
This isn’t a good comparison.
The eharmonics are used differently. F and C are not. They are simply different units.
There is a purpose to the 2 names in eharmonics.
So do you need as a beginner?
Nope.
Do you need if you’re the biggest band of all time?
Nope.
Do you need if you need them.
Yep.
Man I love a nice ripe tomato off the vine with salt on it.
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I can do without the salt 
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I completely understand that there is a logic to giving one thing two names.
However I still cannot understand how if you name something twice you then count it twice when performing addition.
The only place where you would get someone to agree to that mathematical system is the accounts department for Enron.
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Does this need its own topic at this (or long before) point? 
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I agree here.
Counting them vs. are they different are two different discussions I think, which is where this thread went to hell and a hand basket, or, to put it eharmonically, to hades and a bucket.
On another note, a little fresh mozzarella on that salted tomato makes things even better.
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I like a little balsamic and fresh basil myself
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Sadly I think the discussion here is an important one, but with a very very very drawn out conclusion. Too much depth of theory for a beginner bassist is really not a great idea for most., unless that is something that really floats your boat.
I have taken too many online courses that drown you in theory too fast. Even if I wanted to learn it my all full up brain just can’t cram it all in and enjoy playing too, so, I let it seep in here and there and that’s it.
I remember when I took piano lessons and my instructor asked me what I wanted to accomplish, “I want to play songs” I said. She said ‘don’t buy the theory book’.
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Warning: wall of text ahead…
On a fretted bass, as is on a fretted guitar, or a piano, or an horgan and such instruments which are tuned by the equal temperament every tone (a whole step) is divided into 2 even semitones (or half steps) so say a C# sounds exactly the same and is played exactly the same key as a Dflat. For those instruments there are 12 semitones each octave so enharmonic keys (5# and 7flats, 6# and 6 flats and 7# and 5flats) do actually sound the same. Even if theoretically the correct answer is 30 keys (15 majors and 15 minors) you could also assume that those 30 keys actually sound in 24 pitches only and thus the practical assumption that you could limit keys to 24 and you would be fine.
On the other hand there are loads of instruments where a C# can be played lightly different than a Dflat. violin, violon, cello, fretless bass and so on come to mind. You could assume that you could but shouldn’t ever play them differently and you would be right but only if you sticked to “standard” equal temperament.
Fact is that the equal temperament isn’t the only possible temperament and especially in the past other temperaments were more common. In those temperaments intervals between steps and half steps weren’t always the same and some keys sounded a little differently from others. In those temperaments a C# major key (7# on notation) doesn’t really sound exactly as Dflat major key (5flats on notation). Slight differences but in some way noticeable for a trained ear. You could try it yourselves using a VST which can be set to play in other temperaments than the equal (pianoteq does this and i usually set it to “well temperament” when i play some Bach or any baroque music on the Harpsichord emulation).
Just my 2k cents…
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Awesome, but…how do you feel about tomatoes? 
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I am Italian! I put tomato sauce on top of my spaghetti!
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Thank you for playing! 
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Ok. So to put this to bed: in the current 12TET used in modern western music derived from classical European music, there are 24 distinct keys. For these keys there are 30 names commonly applied because six are double-counted enharmonics. Some of these are almost never used and are theoretical. On top of those, there are a large number of other theoretical keys that are useful mainly in trolling people on the internet.
Victor was right. Ariane was right. Western music notation is sloppy and silly that way.
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I agree with the sentiment, although I do get turned off when the theory is joked about being “tough” and “scary”. A simple, quick explanation and a “we will cover this later, but right now it’s not necessary to fully understand”, should suffice. Just like early engineering courses, “we’re going to ignore friction and drag right now, here are the simple equations you need to learn.”
The theory stuff is interesting, but when push comes to shove, music is more visceral to me. We (cave people), started playing it because it sounded nice and it was fun to play together, not because your mixed time signature beat and draconyan scale is technically difficult to play (I’m looking at you, prog rockers).
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But…
How many tomatoes are derived from classical European varieties?
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soooooo many
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None. Tomatoes are a New World fruit. Europe didn’t have any until Christopher Columbus
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More stuff I didn’t know
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See how useful this topic has become.
I had no idea either. !!!
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