B# and E#

[ZachAttack]

Well.. i know we all have memorized this.. but i was wondering WHY exactly is there a half step in between B and C, and E and F..?

[jdapodaca]

Originally Posted by ZachAttack

Well.. i know we all have memorized this.. but i was wondering WHY exactly is there a half step in between B and C, and E and F..?

um.

what?

[SLaPiNFuNK]

12 tone system

[vindy500]

munji ate them

[damonsmith]

In order to make the c major scale (or more likely a minor) work with all naturals.

[Jeff Guevin]

There used to be a whole step in those places, too, but in the 15th century the Freemasons hid the extra notes away.

[EFischer1]

if you find them disney will make a movie about it starring nicholas cage

[bassist14]

Originally Posted by ZachAttack

Well.. i know we all have memorized this.. but i was wondering WHY exactly is there a half step in between B and C, and E and F..?

because thats the way guido da arezzo invented c-major in 1025/26

[krisnowicki]

because our tonal system is a comprimise

[Holly Wright]

Originally Posted by ZachAttack

Well.. i know we all have memorized this.. but i was wondering WHY exactly is there a half step in between B and C, and E and F..?

'Coz my little brain can't handle any more theory...


*sits and sings "Barney and Charles, Ed and Fred"*

[Bobby King]

Since your thread is called "B# and E#", are you asking why those names for pitches exist? Or are you asking why there is a half step between the 3rd and 4th, and 7th and octave in a a major scale?

B# is not between B and C, it is the "enharmonic equivalent" of C, meaning: same pitch, different name. It will appear in certain keys like G# major. (same principle for E#).

If you're asking why a major scale has the intervals:

I -whole step-ii-whole step-iii-half step-IV-whole step-V- whole step-vi-whole step-vii-half step- (octave)

.....that's a complicated musicolgical question. It most likely evolved from the modes used in medieval and Renaissance music. It can be thought of as the mode of the 7th degree of dorian, which was commonly used long before the diatonic (major) scale became predominant.

[onewebfoot]

What Bobby King said. Period. The rest is sarcasm, probably born of overly worn and gigging bassists who are tired on a Sunday evening.

Western music is based on the concept of 12 half steps in a major scale (chromatically). This breaks down to 8 of those 12 comprising the "do-re-me-fa-so-la-tee-do" notes. Half step between E and F (in C scale), and B and C. Half step between iii and IV, and vii and I (root). Yes - theory!!

Now apply half steps to any arbitrary major scale - let's say f# major scale. Half steps still between iii and IV, and vii and 1 (root).

[Larry Holloway]

Originally Posted by bassist14

because thats the way guido da arezzo invented c-major in 1025/26

I thought it was guido sarducci & the B demolished scale

[Bruce Lindfield]

Originally Posted by onewebfoot

Western music is based on the concept of 12 half steps in a major scale (chromatically). This breaks down to 8 of those 12 comprising the "do-re-me-fa-so-la-tee-do" notes. Half step between E and F (in C scale), and B and C. Half step between iii and IV, and vii and I (root). Yes - theory!!

Now apply half steps to any arbitrary major scale - let's say f# major scale. Half steps still between iii and IV, and vii and 1 (root).

Yes - it's just the "sound" of Western music - other cultures - Japan,China etc. - have different systems, that sound different - but we have become used to these Octave scales as the basis of "tonal" music.

[Paul Warburton]

Originally Posted by Larry Holloway

I thought it was guido sarducci & the B demolished scale

#1

[Bruce Lindfield]

They don't need encouraging and you know:

"Don't mess around with the demolition man!!"

[kontrabass]

Originally Posted by EFischer1

if you find them disney will make a movie about it starring nicholas cage

Ha!

[ZachAttack]

Originally Posted by Bobby King

Since your thread is called "B# and E#", are you asking why those names for pitches exist? Or are you asking why there is a half step between the 3rd and 4th, and 7th and octave in a a major scale?

B# is not between B and C, it is the "enharmonic equivalent" of C, meaning: same pitch, different name. It will appear in certain keys like G# major. (same principle for E#).

If you're asking why a major scale has the intervals:

I -whole step-ii-whole step-iii-half step-IV-whole step-V- whole step-vi-whole step-vii-half step- (octave)

.....that's a complicated musicolgical question. It most likely evolved from the modes used in medieval and Renaissance music. It can be thought of as the mode of the 7th degree of dorian, which was commonly used long before the diatonic (major) scale became predominant.

I was more of asking, with 12 tones.. why we have Halfsteps inbetween B and C, and E and F. and Wholesteps in between everything else. Sense the letters, sharps and flats are just lables, we could use the first 12 letters of the alphabet, or have a system like... A A#/Bb B B#/Cb C C#/Db D D#/Eb E E#/Fb F F#/Ab

Just wondering why

[Correlli]

If you study fundamental harmony and modulation, the answer is there. One of the big advantages of using tuning of Equal Temperment, is the ability to modulate to any key.

Here's a hint. If you superimpose a major third on the V

[Kam]

Indeed, modulation and dominant to tonic relationships across all 12 keys.

In short: It's the singer's fault.