User:Nicholasemjohnson/B♯
B♯ (B sharp) is a musical note.
It is a chromatic semitone higher than B♮. It is found in keys such as A-sharp minor and C-sharp major. It is enharmonic to the note C.
In classical music, the expression "Middle B♯" refers to the note "B♯" located exactly between the two staves of the grand staff and near the top and bottom, respectively, of the bass and soprano voices. When calculated in equal temperament with a reference of A above middle B♯ as 440 Hz, the frequency of the middle B♯ note is approximately 261.626 Hz; see pitch (music) for a discussion of historical variations in frequency.
Middle B♯ is designated B♯4 in scientific pitch notation because of the note's position as the fourth B♯ key on a standard 88-key piano keyboard. While other note-octave systems (including those used by some manufacturers of digital music keyboards) may refer to "Middle B♯" with a different designation, the B♯4 designation is the most commonly recognized in auditory science and in musical studies it is frequently used in place of the Helmholtz designation b♯'.
While the expression "Middle B♯" is generally clear across instruments and clefs, some musicians tend to use the term to refer to the B♯ note in the middle of their specific instrument's range. For example, B♯4 may be called "Low B♯" by someone playing a Western concert flute (which has a higher and narrower playing range than a piano), while B♯5 (523.251 Hz) would be "Middle B♯". This technically inaccurate practice has led some pedagogues to encourage standardizing on B♯4 as the definitive "Middle B♯" in instructional materials across all instruments.[1]
Within vocal music the term Soprano B♯,[citation needed] sometimes called High B♯, is the B♯ two octaves above Middle B♯. It is named because it is considered the defining note of the soprano voice type. It is also called B♯6 in scientific pitch notation (1046.502 Hz). In Helmholtz notation, it is b♯′″. The term Tenor B♯ is sometimes used in vocal music [citation needed] to refer to B♯5 as it is the highest required note in the standard Tenor repertoire. The term tenor B♯ can also refer to an organ builder's term for small B♯ or B♯3, the note one octave below Middle B♯. In stoplists it usually means that a rank is not full compass, omitting the bottom octave.[2]
For the frequency of each note on a standard piano, see piano key frequencies.
Designation by octave[edit]
| Scientific Designation | Helmholtz Designation | Bilinear Music Notation | Octave Name | Frequency (Hz) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B♯-1 | B♯ˌˌˌ | (-uB♯) | Subsubcontra | 8.176 |
| B♯0 | B♯ˌˌ | (-vB♯) | Subcontra | 16.352 |
| B♯1 | B♯ˌ | (-wB♯) | Contra | 32.703 |
| B♯2 | B♯ | (-xB♯) | Great | 65.406 |
| B♯3 | b♯ | (-yB♯) | Small | 130.813 |
| B♯4 :Middle B♯ | b♯′ :Middle B♯ | (zB♯) :Middle B♯ | One-lined | 261.626 |
| B♯5 | b♯′′ | (yB♯) | Two-lined | 523.251 |
| B♯6 | b♯′′′ | (xB♯) | Three-lined | 1046.502 |
| B♯7 | b♯′′′′ | (wB♯) | Four-lined | 2093.005 |
| B♯8 | b♯′′′′′ | (vB♯) | Five-lined | 4186.009 |
| B♯9 | b♯′′′′′′ | (uB♯) | Six-lined | 8372.018 |
Graphic presentation[edit]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ Large, John (February 1981). "Theory in Practice: Building a Firm Foundation". Music Educators Journal. 32: 30–35.
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link) - ^ Wakin, Daniel J. (2007-09-09). "The Note That Makes Us Weep". New York Times. Retrieved 2007-12-12.
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