I am trying to learn the fundamentals of musical theory.

I understand that each octave is characterised by 8 notes or pitches, each with a specific frequency. (c,d,e,f,g,h,a,b,c)
Are these notes equidistant from each other? To put it another way, is the frequency difference between adjacent pairs always the same?

Is a specific note in one octave (e.g, b) always half the frequency of the same note in the next octave above?

I also believe that the scale is divided into 12 divisions. Are these called semitones? If not, what? And are these divisions (? semitones) equidistant from each other?

Thanks

pesce.del.giorno said:

I am trying to learn the fundamentals of musical theory.

I understand that each octave is characterised by 8 notes or pitches, each with a specific frequency. (c,d,e,f,g,h,a,b,c)
Are these notes equidistant from each other? To put it another way, is the frequency difference between adjacent pairs always the same?

Is a specific note in one octave (e.g, b) always half the frequency of the same note in the next octave above?

I also believe that the scale is divided into 12 divisions. Are these called semitones? If not, what? And are these divisions (? semitones) equidistant from each other?

Thanks

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piano_key_frequencies

Thanks for that. Cool. There is no h.
I always thought middle C was 256.

Is each piano key designated as a semitone?

There are some forumites who really know this stuff, but until they they show up I can say that , yes each division is a semitone. The 8 notes are the eight of a major scale which is one of many scales that give a different feel to the music. Major, minor, pentatonic are a few of the scales.

Starting at A the 12 notes are

A
A sharp ( B flat)
B
C
C sharp (D flat)
D
D sharp ( E flat)
E
F
F sharp ( G flat)
G

A ( an octave higher)

i thought middle a was aao but wwik, iajam

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pythagorean_tuning

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equal_temperament

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Just_intonation

pesce.del.giorno said:

Thanks for that. Cool. There is no h.
I always thought middle C was 256.

from C (musical note)

With a frequency around 261.6 Hz, Middle C is designated C4 in scientific pitch notation because of the note’s position as the fourth C key on a standard 88-key piano keyboard.

Another system known as scientific pitch assigns a frequency of 256 Hz but, while numerically convenient, this is not used by orchestras. Other note-octave systems, including those used by some makers of digital music keyboards, may refer to Middle C differently. In MIDI, Middle C is note number 60.

CrazyNeutrino said:

pesce.del.giorno said:

Thanks for that. Cool. There is no h.
I always thought middle C was 256.

from C (musical note)

With a frequency around 261.6 Hz, Middle C is designated C4 in scientific pitch notation because of the note’s position as the fourth C key on a standard 88-key piano keyboard.

Another system known as scientific pitch assigns a frequency of 256 Hz but, while numerically convenient, this is not used by orchestras. Other note-octave systems, including those used by some makers of digital music keyboards, may refer to Middle C differently. In MIDI, Middle C is note number 60.

Also of interest

Piano key frequencies

Sorry Stumpy Seahorse beat me too it

Looks like this one’s covered.

pesce.del.giorno said:

I also believe that the scale is divided into 12 divisions. Are these called semitones? If not, what? And are these divisions (? semitones) equidistant from each other?

Thanks

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelfth_root_of_two

>I also believe that the scale is divided into 12 divisions. Are these called semitones? If not, what? And are these divisions (? semitones) equidistant from each other?

That’s the modern chromatic scale:

The chromatic scale is a musical scale with twelve pitches, each a semitone above or below another. On a modern piano or other equal-tempered instrument, all the semitones are the same size (100 cents). In other words, the notes of an equal-tempered chromatic scale are equally spaced. An equal-tempered chromatic scale is a nondiatonic scale having no tonic because of the symmetry of its equally spaced notes.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chromatic_scale

Bubblecar said:

In other words, the notes of an equal-tempered chromatic scale are equally spaced. An equal-tempered chromatic scale is a nondiatonic scale having no tonic because of the symmetry of its equally spaced notes.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chromatic_scale

What is a tonic?

The Rev Dodgson said:

Bubblecar said:

In other words, the notes of an equal-tempered chromatic scale are equally spaced. An equal-tempered chromatic scale is a nondiatonic scale having no tonic because of the symmetry of its equally spaced notes.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chromatic_scale

What is a tonic?

And what is a cat a tonic?

The Rev Dodgson said:

Bubblecar said:

In other words, the notes of an equal-tempered chromatic scale are equally spaced. An equal-tempered chromatic scale is a nondiatonic scale having no tonic because of the symmetry of its equally spaced notes.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chromatic_scale

What is a tonic?

I should of course have looked it up for myself:

“In music, the tonic is the first scale degree of a diatonic scale and the tonal center or final resolution tone”

Now I just need to know what a “scale degree”, “tonal center”, and “final resolution tone” are.

The Rev Dodgson said:

Bubblecar said:

In other words, the notes of an equal-tempered chromatic scale are equally spaced. An equal-tempered chromatic scale is a nondiatonic scale having no tonic because of the symmetry of its equally spaced notes.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chromatic_scale

What is a tonic?

he was being atonal.

The Rev Dodgson said:

The Rev Dodgson said:

Bubblecar said:

In other words, the notes of an equal-tempered chromatic scale are equally spaced. An equal-tempered chromatic scale is a nondiatonic scale having no tonic because of the symmetry of its equally spaced notes.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chromatic_scale

What is a tonic?

I should of course have looked it up for myself:

“In music, the tonic is the first scale degree of a diatonic scale and the tonal center or final resolution tone”

Now I just need to know what a “scale degree”, “tonal center”, and “final resolution tone” are.

It pretty basic, Rev :)

Do-Re-Mi-Fa-Sol-La-Ti-Do, which brings us back to Do! In that simple diatonic major scale, “Do” is the tonic.

Bubblecar said:

The Rev Dodgson said:

The Rev Dodgson said:

What is a tonic?

I should of course have looked it up for myself:

“In music, the tonic is the first scale degree of a diatonic scale and the tonal center or final resolution tone”

Now I just need to know what a “scale degree”, “tonal center”, and “final resolution tone” are.

It pretty basic, Rev :)

Do-Re-Mi-Fa-Sol-La-Ti-Do, which brings us back to Do! In that simple diatonic major scale, “Do” is the tonic.

Every good chior boy should know.

roughbarked said:

Bubblecar said:

The Rev Dodgson said:

I should of course have looked it up for myself:

“In music, the tonic is the first scale degree of a diatonic scale and the tonal center or final resolution tone”

Now I just need to know what a “scale degree”, “tonal center”, and “final resolution tone” are.

It pretty basic, Rev :)

Do-Re-Mi-Fa-Sol-La-Ti-Do, which brings us back to Do! In that simple diatonic major scale, “Do” is the tonic.

Every good chior boy should know.

my favourite choir is Kings College Cambridge

my favourite Kings College Cambridge piece is Allegri – Miserere

ethereal

CrazyNeutrino said:

roughbarked said:

Bubblecar said:

It pretty basic, Rev :)

Do-Re-Mi-Fa-Sol-La-Ti-Do, which brings us back to Do! In that simple diatonic major scale, “Do” is the tonic.

Every good chior boy should know.

my favourite choir is Kings College Cambridge

my favourite Kings College Cambridge piece is Allegri – Miserere

ethereal

Miserere mei (Song)
Artist: Gregorio Allegri

CrazyNeutrino said:

Miserere mei (Song)
Artist: Gregorio Allegri

Try composer Allegri, rather than artist.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miserere_(Allegri)

AussieDJ said:

CrazyNeutrino said:

Miserere mei (Song)
Artist: Gregorio Allegri

Try composer Allegri, rather than artist.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miserere_(Allegri)

listening

The Rev Dodgson said:

The Rev Dodgson said:

Bubblecar said:

In other words, the notes of an equal-tempered chromatic scale are equally spaced. An equal-tempered chromatic scale is a nondiatonic scale having no tonic because of the symmetry of its equally spaced notes.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chromatic_scale

What is a tonic?

I should of course have looked it up for myself:

“In music, the tonic is the first scale degree of a diatonic scale and the tonal center or final resolution tone”

Now I just need to know what a “scale degree”, “tonal center”, and “final resolution tone” are.

Agree Rev, musical terminology is full of jargon, which is quite non-intuitive to those without forma training. (Such as myself.) I’m finding it all pretty heavy going.

pesce.del.giorno said:

The Rev Dodgson said:

The Rev Dodgson said:

What is a tonic?

I should of course have looked it up for myself:

“In music, the tonic is the first scale degree of a diatonic scale and the tonal center or final resolution tone”

Now I just need to know what a “scale degree”, “tonal center”, and “final resolution tone” are.

Agree Rev, musical terminology is full of jargon, which is quite non-intuitive to those without forma training. (Such as myself.) I’m finding it all pretty heavy going.

According to Mr Car it’s just the first note in each repeating sequence (scale).

He didn’t say how the first note is defined, but it seems to be so that the intervals are symmetrical about the centre of the scale.