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The low E on a bass is what note on a piano?
- Thread starter jealousblues
- Start date
is there such a note as "E0?"
the reason im asking is we are moving some midi sequences off a keyboard to a software suite.
The song in question is Brown Eyed Girl which starts with "E, F#, G" or something like that.
On the keyboard it says the notes in the sequence are E0, F#0, G0
and they sound fine.
When we put it into the software suite with sampled sounds...those notes are too low for it to play.
the reason im asking is we are moving some midi sequences off a keyboard to a software suite.
The song in question is Brown Eyed Girl which starts with "E, F#, G" or something like that.
On the keyboard it says the notes in the sequence are E0, F#0, G0
and they sound fine.
When we put it into the software suite with sampled sounds...those notes are too low for it to play.
This chart is incorrect -- it's showing the tuning notes one octave too low. The highest string, G, is the first G below middle C. This chart show it one octave too low.
Oh yeah, that's the E-string on my 6-string bass when I am not D-dropin.
One of these days I will tune it back up to F#0
then I'll have an open E1 string it just seems a little silly for a 6 to not have as much high range as a 4 
Bass is actually written one octave higher than it sounds. It's written that way to compensate for an excess of lower ledger lines when playing. However, also being a tuba player (which is written as sounds), I'm actually used to reading that low.
No, the chart is correct. Bass music is notated one octave higher than it sounds for ease of reading (as is guitar music). So, the open G string as is written on the staff as being in the top space of the bass clef, a fourth below middle C, but the actual note sounds one octave below that, as shown in the chart.
To answer the OP's question, the low E on a standard bass is E1, 41.2 Hz and this is the same pitch as the lowest E on the piano (despite being written for bass as if it was one octave above that). The lowest piano keys on a conventional instrument are A0, A#, B0 (lowest note on a 5 string bass), C1 et cetera. Note that octave numbers change when you get up to C. So, the lowest E on the piano is E1, same as the open E on your bass. E0 is 20.6 Hz and a perfect fourth below the bottom A on the piano.
My bad. I also play bass trombone, and we read it like it is written. I, too, can read all those low ledger lines.
Tell me about it. My music started out on trumpet, then I switched to baritone. I couldn't read bass clef, so used treble-clef baritone music. I now have a valve trombone, which I play in treble clef, and have to catch up on my bass clef on my new bass guitar. I had an electric bass, and learned to read a little, but it went by the wayside.
Similar here! Played trumpet first, then trombone and valve trombone. I spent years rewriting trombone and valve trombone music in treble clef. If only I had taken the time to learn bass clef, I would have saved myself a lot of time both then and now!
I start one on one advanced jazz improv. lessons in college next week with a fantastic tenor sax player.
I was surprised when I realized that a 6 string with a top note of C5 (24 frets) has almost the top reach of a tenor sax with a top note of E5.
I hate playing 6 string, but thats another thread.
I was surprised when I realized that a 6 string with a top note of C5 (24 frets) has almost the top reach of a tenor sax with a top note of E5.
I hate playing 6 string, but thats another thread.
I played trombone and learned guitar first. At first, I just called them the bass clef names and translated in my head to learn. I now read them both, but just learned to spot all of the Ds to see the big picture and that minimized the in-head translation. It being the white key in between the 2 black keys makes it a snap to find. I used to find middle C and work from there. and it took a lot longer!
