A (musical note)
Encyclopedia
La or A is the sixth note
of the solfège
. "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 cycles per second of sound waves
. 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 semitone
s 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 octave
s.
Note
In music, the term note has two primary meanings:#A sign used in musical notation to represent the relative duration and pitch of a sound;#A pitched sound itself....
of the solfège
Solfege
In music, solfège is a pedagogical solmization technique for the teaching of sight-singing in which each note of the score is sung to a special syllable, called a solfège syllable...
. "A" is generally used as a standard for tuning. When the orchestra tunes, the oboe
Oboe
The oboe is a double reed musical instrument of the woodwind family. In English, prior to 1770, the instrument was called "hautbois" , "hoboy", or "French hoboy". The spelling "oboe" was adopted into English ca...
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 cycles per second of sound waves
Hertz
The hertz is the SI unit of frequency defined as the number of cycles per second of a periodic phenomenon. One of its most common uses is the description of the sine wave, particularly those used in radio and audio applications....
. 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
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, tunings ranged from about A-374 to A-403, approximately two to three semitone
Semitone
A semitone, also called a half step or a half tone, is the smallest musical interval commonly used in Western tonal music, and it is considered the most dissonant when sounded harmonically....
s 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
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
pitch is usually cited as A-415, which is a semitone lower than modern pitch.
A0 is the lowest note on the standard piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
. The octaves follow A1, A2, etc.. A7 is a few pitches lower than C8
Eighth octave C
The musical note C8 is the C two full octaves above soprano high C. The note is one octave above the top of common musical keyboards, but the highest note of an 88-key piano...
, 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 octave
Octave
In music, an octave is the interval between one musical pitch and another with half or double its frequency. The octave relationship is a natural phenomenon that has been referred to as the "basic miracle of music", the use of which is "common in most musical systems"...
s.
Designation by octave
| Scientific Scientific pitch notation Scientific pitch notation is one of several methods that name the notes of the standard Western chromatic scale by combining a letter-name, accidentals, and a number identifying the pitch's octave... designation |
Helmholtz Helmholtz pitch notation Helmholtz pitch notation is a musical system for naming notes of the Western chromatic scale. Developed by the German scientist Hermann von Helmholtz, it uses a combination of upper and lower case letters , and the sub- and super-prime symbols to describe each individual note of the scale... designation |
Octave name | Standard frequency (Hz) |
|---|---|---|---|
| A9 | a′′′′′′ | Six-lined | 14080 |
| A8 | a′′′′′ | Five-lined | 7040 |
| A7 | a′′′′ | Four-lined | 3520 |
| A6 | a′′′ | Three-lined | 1760 |
| A5 | a′′ | Two-lined | 880 |
| A4 | a′ | One-lined | 440 |
| A3 | a | Small | 220 |
| A2 | A | Great | 110 |
| A1 | A͵ or ͵A | Contra | 55 |
| A0 | A͵͵ or ͵͵A | Subcontra | 27.50 |
| A−1 | A͵͵͵ or ͵͵͵A | Subsubcontra | 13.75 |
Common scales beginning on A
- A MajorA majorA major is a major scale based on A, with the pitches A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. Its key signature has three sharps.Its relative minor is F-sharp minor and its parallel minor is A minor...
: 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
- A DorianDorian modeDue to historical confusion, Dorian mode or Doric mode can refer to three very different musical modes or diatonic scales, the Greek, the medieval, and the modern.- Greek Dorian mode :...
: A B C D E F G A