Music – Lines, Spaces, and Other Symbols

The Code… As simple as A, B, C

Luckily, anyone that knows the Latin alphabet ( the letters a through z) is already well on their way to understanding the language of music! Music uses the first 7 letters A, B, C, D, E, F, and G to distinguish between the 7 pitches that are used. Once you have arrived at the end of the list you return to the start of the list and continue until you have arrived at your desired destination.

Pitch Class

Every pitch is 8 notes – an octave – away from its former or latter self. These octaves sound different from each other, but when you arrive at the higher or lower version of a note these pitches have a tendency to sound alike. The different pitches within the pitch classes are distinguished by attaching a number. An A is identified throughout its octaves by attaching a numeral to denote which octave it belongs to. Therefore there are A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, A6, and A7. The same is true for all notes except for G sharp to B on the Grand piano; these notes have an eight octave.

Author: Jean W. Joseph

I am Jean W. Joseph, a fourth-year Media Journalism and Music Double Major at the University of The Bahamas. I am an avid multi-instrumental musician and composer who loves Junkanoo and DJing. I also love cameras and digital art – anything creative will get me. Additionally, I am a voiceover artist and a journalist focusing on Arts and Entertainment with Our News (Cable 12); I use this platform to highlight artists, musicians, and experiences the public should know about. I enjoy storytelling and will continue using my voice to bring light to the stories that are not usually told. My plans include producing movies and short films, radio dramas, and composing popular music and scores for films.

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