Topmusicanswers
- Why are there only 12 notes in Western music?
- What scale is the basis for all Western music?
- Is Western music based on a system of notes organized in octaves?
- Why is an octave called an octave?
Why are there only 12 notes in Western music?
All sounds are the result of waves, and the frequency of waves determine the pitch of sounds we hear. Pitches or notes that sound high, for instance, have a high frequency. ... We typically use just 12 notes in Western music because of the spaces – or intervals – between the notes.
What scale is the basis for all Western music?
The chromatic scale or twelve-tone scale is a musical scale with twelve pitches, each a semitone, also known as a half-step, above or below its adjacent pitches. As a result, in 12-tone equal temperament (the most common tuning in Western music), the chromatic scale covers all 12 of the available pitches.
Is Western music based on a system of notes organized in octaves?
People who are accustomed to listening to Western music, which is based on a system of notes organized in octaves, can usually perceive the similarity between notes that are same but played in different registers -- say, high C and middle C.
Why is an octave called an octave?
The word "octave" comes from a Latin root meaning "eight". It seems an odd name for a frequency that is two times, not eight times, higher. The octave was named by musicians who were more interested in how octaves are divided into scales, than in how their frequencies are related.
