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This is a list of the fundamental frequencies in hertz (cycles per second) of the keys of a modern 88-key standard or 108-key extended piano in twelve-tone equal temperament, with the 49th key, the fifth A (called A 4), tuned to 440 Hz (referred to as A440). [1] [2] Every octave is made of twelve steps called semitones.
In scientific pitch notation, a specific octave is indicated by a numerical subscript number after note name. In this notation, middle C is C 4, because of the note's position as the fourth C key on a standard 88-key piano keyboard, while the C an octave higher is C 5.
Notes that are shown as sharp or flat in a key signature will be played that way in every octave—e.g., a key signature with a B ♭ indicates that every B is played as a B ♭. A key signature indicates the prevailing key of the music and eliminates the need to use accidentals for the notes that are always flat or sharp in that key. A key ...
For example, C 4 is one note above B 3, and A 5 is one note above G 5. The octave number is tied to the alphabetic character used to describe the pitch, with the division between note letters ‘B’ and ‘C’, thus: "B 3" and all of its possible variants (B, B ♭, B, B ♯, B) would properly be designated as being in octave "3".
Octatonic (8 notes per octave): used in jazz and modern classical music; Heptatonic (7 notes per octave): the most common modern Western scale; Hexatonic (6 notes per octave): common in Western folk music; Pentatonic (5 notes per octave): the anhemitonic form (lacking semitones) is common in folk music, especially in Asian music; also known as ...
The next lower octave is named "contra". Notes in it include a prime symbol below the note's letter. Names of subsequent lower octaves are preceded with "sub". Notes in each include an additional prime symbol below the note's letter. The octave starting at tenor C is called the "small" octave. Notes in it are written as lower case letters, so ...
Chromatic scale drawn as a circle The diatonic scale notes (above) and the non-scale chromatic notes (below) [2] The twelve notes of the octave—all the black and white keys in one octave on the piano—form the chromatic scale. The tones of the chromatic scale (unlike those of the major or minor scale) are all the same distance apart, one ...
This gives 24 possible keys, but each note can be represented by several enharmonic note names (note names which designate the same actual note in the 12 note octave such as G# and A♭) and so each key can be represented by several enharmonic key names (e.g. G# minor and A♭ minor).