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A (musical note)

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A is a musical note equivalent to 440 Hz in typical A440 tuning. It is the sixth note of La and the tenth semitone of the fixed-do solfège.

Its enharmonic equivalents are B♭♭ (B double flat) which is a diatonic semitone above A♭ and Gdouble sharp (G double sharp) which is a diatonic semitone below A♯.

"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 indicates a lower pitch.

The International Standards Organization (ISO) has standardized the pitch at A-440.[1] 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,[2] 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.

Designation by octave

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Scientific
designation 		Helmholtz
designation 		Octave
name 		Frequency
(Hz) 		Sound sample
A−1 A͵͵͵ or ͵͵͵A or AAAA Subsubcontra 13.75
A0 A͵͵ or ͵͵A or AAA Subcontra 27.5
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

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Common scales beginning on A

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Diatonic scales

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Jazz melodic minor

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "ISO 16:1975 Acoustics - Standard Tuning Frequency". International Standards Organization. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
  2. ^ Suits, B. H. (1998). "Physics of Music Notes - Scales: Just vs Equal Temperament". MTU.edu. Michigan Technological University. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
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