Mo: Though I don't necessarily consider using the transpose button cheating, be aware that that the result doesn't sound the same as heard if you played in the actual key itself, because each key's respective (diatonic) chord voicing sounds uniquely different from one another, because our hand position shape (for each chord) change from one key to another.

That said, some things are nearly impossible to play in some keys .... like certain blues licks that involve sliding up to a note (like a grace note) Try the same riff in "E" and "F" it becomes entirely different. The advantage of the transpose button is that it can function as a 'capo' (ala keyboard) to aid in performing difficult passages. Though I believe the transpose key can be easily mis-used, or overused, I appreciate the fact that it exists and use it for situations I just mentioned, or when a singer can't quite hit that high G that night, I'll use the transpose key to simply lower the key down a half step, or on another night, up a 1/2 step to brighter up her voice. I was taught to learn to play (jazz piano) in ALL 12 keys. Short of this feat, I recommend to everyone here to at least learn to play in lots of keys anyway, as your music will sound much FRESHER when chords are voiced differently.

Scott