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Pitch and Clefs

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Pitch

Pitch is the way frequencies are assigned to a relative musical scale.
Although it's not necessary to know the science behind pitch and frequency, it is useful to have a basic understanding.

Many pianists start by learning the piano key 'middle C', the C nearest to the middle of the piano. The other white notes around this are then given the letters from A-G. The A above middle C is the note to which Orchestras tune and is consequently known as 'Concert Pitch A'.

In around 1939 it was internationally decided that concert pitch 'A' should be at 440 Hertz (Hz).

The frequencies of the pitches of the keys on a piano can then be worked out by the formula:

F(n) = 440[2(n-49/12)] where n is the number of the key (from 1-88).

keyboard frequencies
Concert Pitch 'A' (440 Hz):



'Middle' C (261 Hz)




An octave is the name given to the distance between one note to the next with the same name (12 semi-tones).

More about intervals is covered in the 'Transposition' section
octaves

How does this relate to pitch?

A pitch will have double the frequency of the pitch an ocatve lower and half the frequency of the pitch and octave higher.




The Stave/Staff


The stave or staff is a set of 5 lines on which musical pitch is notated:
staves
Notes can be on any of the 5 lines or 4 spaces:
notes on the stave
The pitches represented by these notes depend on which clef is being used.






Treble Clef

The Treble Clef is one of the most commonly used clefs.
The treble clef known as the 'G' clef because it sits on the 2nd line of the stave, which represents the G above middle C.

treble clef

The notes in the lines and spaces can then be relatively worked out: treble clef

When starting to learn the notes on the stave, many people have mnemonics to remember the note names in the lines and spaces.
Notes on the treble clef stave lines
For Example:
Every Green Bus Drives Fast
or:
Every Good Boy Deserves Fun

Most people remember that the stave's spaces in the treble clef spell FACE
Notes on the treble clef stave spaces





Bass Clef

The bass clef is another commonly used clef.
It is sometimes called the 'F' clef because it rests on the 2nd line down, representing the pitch F below middle C.

bass clef

There are some mneumonics used for remembering the bass clef notes:

Grizzly Bears Drink Fizzy Ale



All Cows Eeat Grass

Looking at the pitches in the treble and bass clef so far gives:
bass and treble clef keyboards




Ledger Lines

So far only the notation for pitches that are on the lines or spaces of the stave has been looked at.
With Ledger Lines notes beyond the stave can be written:









This results in overlap between the clefs, where the same pitches can be notated in two clefs:

clefs
Ledger lines can be used to write more notes that are higher or lower than the stave.
Sometimes an '8va' sign is used to indicate that the written music should be an octave higher or and '8bv' sign to show that the music should be written an octave lower, to avoid too many ledger lines.

8va, 8bv
Note that '15ma' and '15mb' signs can also be used to indicate that the music should be two octaves higher or lower.



C Clefs

There are two more important clefs, both known as 'C' Clefs because they sit on the line representing middle C.

The first is the alto clef, used by the viola.
Middle C lies on the 3rd line, in the middle of the stave:
altoclef

The second it the tenor clef, used for high notes on the bass clef instruments ( Bassoon , Cello , Trombone )
Middle C lies on the 4th line of the stave:
tenor clef




Instrument's Clefs


Instruments use the clef that is most convenient for their range. They usually are:

Woodwinds:

Piccolo (treble), Flute (treble), Oboe (treble), Clarinet (treble), Bassoon (bass)

Brass:

Trumpet (treble), Cornet (treble), Tuba (bass), Horn (treble), Trombone (bass), Euphonium (bass)

Strings:

Violin (treble), Viola (alto), Cello (bass), Double Bass (bass)

Voice:

Soprano (treble), Alto (treble), Tenor (treble*), bass (bass)

Others:

Harp (treble and bass), Piano (treble and bass), Guitar (treble)

* The tenor is often written in the treble clef, an octave higher than it is to be sung, shown by this treble clef.
8va, 8vb
More about each individual instrument can be found in the Instruments section .



Worksheets

The Treble Clef
Difficulty: Easy
Reading, Writing and Idenfifying pitches in the Treble Clef.

The Bass Clef
Difficulty: Easy
Reading, Writing and Idenfifying pitches in the Bass Clef.

The Alto Clef

The Tenor Clef




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External Links
Further Theory Reading:


Also in the Music Theory Guide:


Tonality, Keys and Accidentals Tonaltity, Keys and Accidentals
This Section Includes:

Accidentals
Tonality (Major, Minor, Modal, Atonal, Bitonal) and related scales



Transposition Intervals and Transposition
This Section Includes:

Major, Minor, Perfect, Augmented and Diminished intervals and their inversions.
Transposition and Transposing Instruments



Chords Chords
This Section Includes:

Major, Minor, Augmented and Diminished Chords and their Inversions.
Chords with added 7ths and 6ths.








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