B (musical note)

B, also known as Si, Ti,

or, in some European countries, H, is the seventh note of the fixed-Do solfège. Its enharmonic equivalents are C♭ and A  .

When calculated in equal temperament with a reference of Aabove middle C as 440 Hz, the frequency of Middle B (B₄) is approximately 493.883 Hz. See pitch (music) for a discussion of historical variations in frequency.

Designation by octave

Scientificdesignation	Helmholtzdesignation	Octave name	Frequency (Hz)
B−1	B͵͵͵ or ͵͵͵B or BBBB	Subsubcontra	15.434
B0	B͵͵ or ͵͵B or BBB	Subcontra	30.868
B1	B͵ or ͵B or BB	Contra	61.735
B2	B	Great	123.471
B3	b	Small	246.942
B4	b′	One-lined	493.883
B5	b′′	Two-lined	987.767
B6	b′′′	Three-lined	1,975.533
B7	b′′′′	Four-lined	3,951.066
B8	b′′′′′	Five-lined	7,902.133
B9	b′′′′′′	Six-lined	15804.266
B10	b′′′′′′′	Seven-lined	31608.532

Scales

Common scales beginning on B

• B major: B C♯ D♯ E F♯ G♯A♯ B
• B natural minor: B C♯ D E F♯ G A B
• B Harmonic minor: B C♯ D E F♯ G A♯ B
• B Melodic minor ascending: B C♯ D E F♯ G♯ A♯ B
• B melodic minor descending: B A G F♯ E D C♯ B

Diatonic scales

• B Ionian: B C♯ D♯ E F♯ G♯A♯ B
• B Dorian: B C♯ D E F♯ G♯ A B
• B Phrygian: B C D E F♯ G A B
• B Lydian: B C♯ D♯ E♯ F♯G♯ A♯ B
• B Mixolydian: B C♯ D♯ E F♯G♯ A B
• B Aeolian: B C♯ D E F♯ G A B
• B Locrian: B C D E F G A B

Jazz melodic minor

• B Ascending melodic minor: B C♯ D E F♯ G♯ A♯ B
• B Dorian ♭2: B C D E F♯ G♯ A B
• B Lydian augmented: B C♯ D♯E♯ F  G♯ A♯ B
• B Lydian dominant: B C♯ D♯E♯ F♯ G♯ A B
• B Mixolydian ♭6: B C♯ D♯ E F♯ G A B
• B Locrian ♮2: B C♯ D E F G A B
• B Altered: B C D E♭ F G A B

Variation of meaning by geographical region

The referent of the musical note B varies by location. See note for a discussion on other differences in letter naming of the notes.

In the United States, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, and the Netherlands, as described above, B usually refers to the note a semitone below C, while B-flatrefers to the note a whole tonebelow C.

However, in Germany, Central and Eastern Europe, and Scandinavia, the label B is used for what, above, is called B-flat, and the note a semitone below C is called H. This makes possible certain spellings which are otherwise impossible, such as the BACH motif.

A b (musical note)

A♭ (musical note)

A♭ (A-flat; also called la bémol) is the ninth semitone of the solfège.

A (musical note)

La or A

is the sixth note of the fixed-do solfège. Its enharmonic equivalents are B (Heses) which is a diatonic semitone above A♭ and G (Gisis) which is a diatonic semitone below A♯.

A440 Play .

"A" is generally used as a standard for tuning. When the orchestra tunes, the oboe plays an "A" and the rest of the instruments tune to match that pitch. Every string instrument in the orchestra has an A string, from which each player can tune the rest of their instrument.

"A" is also used in combination with a number (e.g. A-440) to label the pitch standard. The number designates the frequency in hertz. A lower number equals a lower pitch.

By an international treaty signed in 1939, modern pitch is standardized at A-440. However, tuning has varied over time, geographical region, or instrument maker. In 17th-century Europe, tunings ranged from about A-374 to A-403, approximately two to three semitones below A-440. Historical examples exist of instruments, tuning forks, or standards ranging from A-309 to A-455.3, a difference of almost six semitones. Although the official standard today is A-440, some orchestral groups and chamber groups prefer to tune a little higher, at A-442 or even A-444. Baroque pitch is usually cited as A-415, which is a semitone lower than modern pitch.

A0 is the lowest note on the standard piano. The octaves follow A1, A2, etc. A7 is a few pitches lower than C8, the highest note on the standard piano. The note "A" is not considered to be a certain milestone or mark to hit with voice as, for example, Tenor C is, but it can be extremely demanding in certain octaves.

Designation by octave

Scientificdesignation	Helmholtzdesignation	Octave name	Frequency (Hz)	Sound sample
A−1	A͵͵͵ or ͵͵͵A or AAAA	Subsubcontra	13.75
A0	A͵͵ or ͵͵A or AAA	Subcontra	27.50
A1	A͵ or ͵A or AA	Contra	55
A2	A	Great	110
A3	a	Small	220
A4	a′	One-lined	440
A5	a′′	Two-lined	880
A6	a′′′	Three-lined	1760
A7	a′′′′	Four-lined	3520
A8	a′′′′′	Five-lined	7040
A9	a′′′′′′	Six-lined	14080
A10	a′′′′′′′	Seven-lined	28160

Scales

Common scales beginning on A

• A major: A B C♯ D E F♯ G♯ A
• A natural minor: A B C D E F G A
• A harmonic minor: A B C D E F G♯ A
• A melodic minor ascending: A B C D E F♯ G♯ A
• A melodic minor descending: A G F E D C B A

Diatonic scales

• A Ionian: A B C♯ D E F♯ G♯ A
• A Dorian: A B C D E F♯ G A
• A Phrygian: A B♭ C D E F G A
• A Lydian: A B C♯ D♯ E F♯G♯ A
• A Mixolydian: A B C♯ D E F♯ G A
• A Aeolian: A B C D E F G A
• A Locrian: A B♭ C D E♭ F G A

Jazz melodic minor

• A Ascending melodic minor: A B C D E F♯ G♯ A
• A Dorian ♭2: A B♭ C D E F♯ G A
• A Lydian augmented: A B C♯D♯ E♯ F♯ G♯ A
• A Lydian dominant: A B C♯ D♯E F♯ G A
• A Mixolydian ♭6: A B C♯ D E F G A
• A Locrian ♮2: A B C D E♭ F G A
• A Altered: A B♭ C D♭ E♭ F G A
• Website: www.ebadungstrings.blogspot.com