The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #136682   Message #3134727
Posted By: Don Firth
13-Apr-11 - 08:16 PM
Thread Name: No such thing as a B-sharp
Subject: RE: No such thing as a B-sharp
I don't think so. Can you give me a link with authoritative information to verify this?

A 440=A is still 440 cps, whether you call it A, G double-sharp, or B double-flat. Yes, on an instrument such as a violin or cello, one can make the subtle distinctions relative to the key the piece is in, but not on a fixed-pitch instrument such as a piano or guitar. When would a string-player do this? One example would be when the note in question is the 7th degree of a major scale (the leading tone). But one cannot make this adjustment on a fixed-pitch instrument without retuning the instrument for that one specific key. If you tried to retune a guitar to accommodate one specific scale degree, you'd actually have to throw a whole range of other notes off-pitch.

I'm not just making this up. I've had a total of five years in two different music schools, and I've been over this business thoroughly before. Several times. Generally with folk singers who take pride in not having any formal musical training.

Sorry, but that's been my experience. (Documentation to back it up.)

Don Firth