# Musical note

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Representation of isolatable musical sound

For the horse, see [Music Note](/source/Music_Note).

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In [music](/source/Music), **notes** are distinct and isolatable [sounds](/source/Sound) that act as the most basic building blocks for nearly all of [music](/source/Music). This [discretization](/source/Musical_analysis#Discretization) facilitates performance, comprehension, and [analysis](/source/Musical_analysis).[1] Notes may be visually communicated by [writing](/source/Writing) them in [musical notation](/source/Musical_notation).

Notes can distinguish the general [pitch class](/source/Pitch_class) or the specific [pitch](/source/Pitch_(music)) played by a pitched [instrument](/source/Musical_instrument). Although this article focuses on pitch, notes for [unpitched percussion instruments](/source/Unpitched_percussion_instrument) distinguish between different percussion instruments (and/or different manners to sound them) instead of pitch. [Note value](/source/Note_value) expresses the relative [duration](/source/Duration_(music)) of the note in [time](/source/Time). [Dynamics](/source/Dynamics_(music)) for a note indicate how [loud](/source/Loudness) to play them. [Articulations](/source/Articulation_(music)) may further indicate how performers should shape the [attack and decay](/source/Envelope_(music)) of the note and express fluctuations in a note's [timbre](/source/Timbre) and [pitch](/source/Pitch_(music)). Notes may even distinguish the use of different [extended techniques](/source/Extended_techniques) by using special symbols.

The term *note* can refer to a specific musical event, for instance when saying the [song](/source/Song) "[Happy Birthday to You](/source/Happy_Birthday_to_You)", begins with two notes of identical pitch. Or more generally, the term can refer to a class of identically sounding events, for instance when saying "the song begins with the same note repeated twice."

## Distinguishing duration

Main article: [Note value](/source/Note_value)

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding missing information. (March 2024)

A note can have a [note value](/source/Note_value) that indicates the note's [duration](/source/Duration_(music)) relative to the [musical meter](/source/Musical_meter). In order of halving duration, these values are:

"American" name "British" name double note breve whole note semibreve half note minim quarter note crotchet eighth note quaver sixteenth note semiquaver thirty-second note demisemiquaver sixty-fourth note hemidemisemiquaver 𝅘𝅥𝅲 hundred twenty-eighth note semihemidemisemiquaver, quasihemidemisemiquaver

Longer note values (e.g. the [longa](/source/Longa_(music))) and shorter note values (e.g. the [two hundred fifty-sixth note](/source/Two_hundred_fifty-sixth_note)) do exist, but are very rare in modern times. These durations can further be [subdivided](/source/Divisive_rhythm) using [tuplets](/source/Tuplets). Furthermore, a [tie](/source/Tie_(music)) can combine two notes together to create a more specific duration which cannot be represented by a single note's value.[2]

A [rhythm](/source/Rhythm) is formed from a sequence in [time](/source/Time) of consecutive notes and [rests](/source/Rest_(music)) (the space between notes) of various durations. Rhythms are agnostic to pitches, so if a [melody](/source/Melody) is [transposed](/source/Transposition_(music)) to a different [scale](/source/Scale_(music)), its rhythm will remain constant.[3]

## Distinguishing pitch

The note *A* or *La* notated as a symbol on a [treble clef](/source/Treble_clef) [staff](/source/Musical_staff).

Latin alphabet names of notes of the [A minor](/source/A_minor) scale on a staff.

### Distinguishing pitches of a scale

[Music theory](/source/Music_theory) in most [European countries](/source/European_countries) and others[note 1] use the [solfège](/source/Solf%C3%A8ge) naming convention. [Fixed do](/source/Fixed_do_solfege) uses the [syllables](/source/Syllable) *re–mi–fa–sol–la–ti* specifically for the [C major](/source/C_major) scale, while [movable do](/source/Movable_do_solfege) labels notes of *any* [major scale](/source/Major_scale) with that same order of syllables.

Alternatively, particularly in English- and some Dutch-speaking regions, and certainly in all of [Germany](/source/Germany), pitch classes are typically represented by the first seven letters of the [Latin alphabet](/source/Latin_alphabet) (A, B, C, D, E, F and G), corresponding to the [A minor](/source/A_minor) scale. Several European countries, including Germany and [Czechia](/source/Czech_Republic), use H instead of B (see [§ 12-tone chromatic scale](#12-tone_chromatic_scale) for details). [Byzantium](/source/Byzantine_Empire) used the names *Pa–Vu–Ga–Di–Ke–Zo–Ni* (Πα–Βου–Γα–Δι–Κε–Ζω–Νη).[4] A single note is sometimes called a monad.[5]

In traditional [Indian music](/source/Indian_classical_music), musical notes are called [svaras](/source/Svara) and commonly represented using the seven notes, Sa, Re, Ga, Ma, Pa, Dha and Ni.

### Writing notes on a staff

In a [score](/source/Sheet_music), each note is assigned a specific vertical position on a [staff position](/source/Staff_position) (a line or space) on the [staff](/source/Musical_staff), as determined by the [clef](/source/Clef).[6] Each line or space is assigned a note name. These names are memorized by [musicians](/source/Musician) and allow them to know at a glance the proper pitch to play on their instruments.[7]

Audio playback is not supported in your browser. You can [download the audio file](https://upload.wikimedia.org/score/8/7/87rssqad3occvvj0elp65u631vvzhba/87rssqad.mp3).

The [staff](/source/Staff_(music)) above shows the notes C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C and then in reverse order, with no key signature or accidentals.

### Accidentals

Main article: [Accidental (music)](/source/Accidental_(music))

Notes that belong to the [diatonic scale](/source/Diatonic_scale) relevant in a [tonal](/source/Tonality) context are called *[diatonic](/source/Diatonic) notes*. Notes that do not meet that criterion are called *[chromatic](/source/Chromatic) notes* or *[accidentals](/source/Accidentals)*. Accidental symbols visually communicate a modification of a note's pitch from its tonal context. Most commonly,[note 2] the [sharp](/source/Sharp_(music)) symbol (♯) raises a note by a [half step](/source/Half_step), while the [flat](/source/Flat_(music)) symbol (♭) lowers a note by a half step. This half step [interval](/source/Interval_(music)) is also known as a [semitone](/source/Semitone) (which has an [equal temperament](/source/Equal_temperament) frequency ratio of [12√2](/source/Twelfth_root_of_two) ≅ 1.0595). The [natural](/source/Natural_(music)) symbol (♮) indicates that any previously applied accidentals should be cancelled. Advanced musicians use the [double-sharp](/source/Sharp_(music)) symbol () to raise the pitch by two [semitones](/source/Semitone), the [double-flat](/source/Flat_(music)) symbol () to lower it by two semitones, and even more advanced accidental symbols (e.g. for [quarter tones](/source/Quarter_tone)). Accidental symbols are placed to *the right* of a note's letter when written in text (e.g. F♯ is [F-sharp](/source/F%E2%99%AF_(musical_note)), B♭ is [B-flat](/source/B%E2%99%AD_(musical_note)), and C♮ is [C natural](/source/Diatonic_scale)), but are placed to *the left* of a [note's head](/source/Notehead) when drawn on a [staff](/source/Staff_(music)).

Systematic alterations to any of the 7 lettered [pitch classes](/source/Pitch_classes) are communicated using a [key signature](/source/Key_signature). When drawn on a staff, accidental symbols are positioned in a key signature to indicate that those alterations apply to all occurrences of the lettered pitch class corresponding to each symbol's position. Additional explicitly-noted accidentals can be drawn next to noteheads to override the key signature for all subsequent notes with the same lettered pitch class in that [bar](/source/Bar_(music)). However, this effect does not accumulate for subsequent accidental symbols for the same pitch class.

### 12-tone chromatic scale

Assuming [enharmonicity](/source/Enharmonic), accidentals can create pitch equivalences between different notes (e.g. the note B♯ represents the same pitch as the note C). Thus, a 12-note [chromatic scale](/source/Chromatic_scale) adds 5 pitch classes in addition to the 7 lettered pitch classes.

The following chart lists names used in different countries for the 12 pitch classes of a [chromatic scale](/source/Chromatic_scale) built on C. Their corresponding symbols are in parentheses. Differences between German and English notation are highlighted in **bold** typeface. Although the English and Dutch names are different, the corresponding symbols are identical.

Chromatic scale note naming conventions of various languages and countries English C C sharp (C♯) D D sharp (D♯) E F F sharp (F♯) G G sharp (G♯) A A sharp (A♯) B D flat (D♭) E flat (E♭) G flat (G♭) A flat (A♭) B flat (B♭) German[8][note 3] C Cis (C♯) D Dis (D♯) E F Fis (F♯) G Gis (G♯) A Ais (A♯) H Des (D♭) Es (E♭) Ges (G♭) As (A♭) B Swedish compromise[9] C Ciss (C♯) D Diss (D♯) E F Fiss (F♯) G Giss (G♯) A Aiss (A♯) H Dess (D♭) Ess (E♭) Gess (G♭) Ass (A♭) Bess (B♭) Dutch[8][note 4] C Cis (C♯) D Dis (D♯) E F Fis (F♯) G Gis (G♯) A Ais (A♯) B Des (D♭) Es (E♭) Ges (G♭) As (A♭) Bes (B♭) Romance languages[10][note 5] do do diesis (do♯) re re diesis (re♯) mi fa fa diesis (fa♯) sol sol diesis (sol♯) la la diesis (la♯) si re bemolle (re♭) mi bemolle (mi♭) sol bemolle (sol♭) la bemolle (la♭) si bemolle (si♭) Byzantine[11] Ni Ni diesis Pa Pa diesis Vu Ga Ga diesis Di Di diesis Ke Ke diesis Zo Pa hyphesis Vu hyphesis Di hyphesis Ke hyphesis Zo hyphesis Japanese[12] Ha (ハ) Ei-ha (嬰ハ) Ni (ニ) Ei-ni (嬰ニ) Ho (ホ) He (ヘ) Ei-he (嬰へ) To (ト) Ei-to (嬰ト) I (イ) Ei-i (嬰イ) Ro (ロ) Hen-ni (変ニ) Hen-ho (変ホ) Hen-to (変ト) Hen-i (変イ) Hen-ro (変ロ) Hindustani Indian[13] Sa (सा) Re Komal (रे॒) Re (रे) Ga Komal (ग॒) Ga (ग) Ma (म) Ma Tivra (म॑) Pa (प) Dha Komal (ध॒) Dha (ध) Ni Komal (नि॒) Ni (नि) Carnatic Indian Sa Shuddha Ri (R1) Chatushruti Ri (R2) Sadharana Ga (G2) Antara Ga (G3) Shuddha Ma (M1) Prati Ma (M2) Pa Shuddha Dha (D1) Chatushruti Dha (D2) Kaisika Ni (N2) Kakali Ni (N3) Shuddha Ga (G1) Shatshruti Ri (R3) Shuddha Ni (N1) Shatshruti Dha (D3) Bengali Indian[14] Sa (সা) Komôl Re (ঋ) Re (রে) Komôl Ga (জ্ঞ) Ga (গ) Ma (ম) Kôṛi Ma (হ্ম) Pa (প) Komôl Dha (দ) Dha (ধ) Komôl Ni (ণ) Ni (নি)

### Distinguishing pitches of different octaves

Two pitches that are any number of [octaves](/source/Octave) apart (i.e. their [fundamental frequencies](/source/Fundamental_frequency) are in a ratio equal to a [power of two](/source/Power_of_two)) are perceived as very similar. Because of that, all notes with these kinds of relations can be grouped under the same [pitch class](/source/Pitch_class) and are often given the same name.

The top note of a [musical scale](/source/Musical_scale) is the bottom note's second [harmonic](/source/Harmonic) and has double the bottom note's frequency. Because both notes belong to the same pitch class, they are often called by the same name. That top note may also be referred to as the "[octave](/source/Octave)" of the bottom note, since an octave is the [interval](/source/Interval_(music)) between a note and another with double frequency.

#### Middle C

The position of middle C between treble and bass clefs.

Middle **C** is often used as a common reference point when discussing octaves. This is the **C** between the typical treble and bass staves; either one [ledger line](/source/Ledger_line) below the treble staff, or one ledger line above the bass. In standard tuning it has a pitch of 261.626 Hz.

Middle **C** is a convenient reference, as it can be played on most common instruments. It can be sung by both male and female singers. It also falls near the middle of a standard 88-key piano.

The most common tuning, the [A440 pitch standard](/source/A440_(pitch_standard)), defines the **A** above middle **C** to be exactly 440 Hz.

#### Scientific versus Helmholtz pitch notation

See also: [Piano key frequencies](/source/Piano_key_frequencies)

Several nomenclature systems for differentiating pitches that have the same pitch class but which fall into different octaves.

1. [Scientific pitch notation](/source/Scientific_pitch_notation), where a pitch class letter (**C**, **D**, **E**, **F**, **G**, **A**, **B**) is followed by a subscript [Arabic numeral](/source/Arabic_numerals) designating a specific octave. - Middle **C** is named **C**4 and is the start of the 4th octave. - Higher octaves use successively higher number and lower octaves use successively lower numbers (including negative numbers) - The lowest note on most pianos is **A**0, the highest is **C**8.

1. [Helmholtz pitch notation](/source/Helmholtz_pitch_notation), which distinguishes octaves using [prime symbols](/source/Prime_symbol) and [letter case](/source/Letter_case) of the pitch class letter. - The scale is based on the **C** one octave below middle **C** (**C**3 in scientific pitch notation), sometimes called *tenor **C***. - The octave starting at tenor **C** are written as [lower case](/source/Lower_case) letters, so tenor **C** itself is written **c** in Helmholtz notation. - Higher octaves are notated by appending additional prime symbols above the letter. Thus, middle C is written **c′**, the next octave **c′′**, etc. - Octaves below tenor **C** are written with [upper case](/source/Upper_case) letters, with sub-prime symbols prepended for each additional octave. Thus the octaves below tenor **C** are written **C**, **͵C**, **͵͵C**, etc. - A number of typographic [variants](/source/Helmholtz_pitch_notation#Variations) exist for Helmholtz notation. For instance, primes and sub-primes may be replaced with apostrophe and comma characters, sub-primes can be placed either before or after the note letter, or letters can be repeated (**͵͵C** = **C͵͵** = **C,,** = **CCC**). - Octaves are also named (see table below).

1. The [MIDI](/source/MIDI) standard for [electronic musical instruments](/source/Electronic_musical_instrument) doesn't specifically designate pitch classes, but instead names pitches sequentially. - The supported lowest note, **C**−1 (≈ 8.1758 Hz), is numbered 0. - Subsequent notes are numbered chromatically to the highest, number 127 (**G**9 ≈ 12,544 Hz). - Although the [MIDI](/source/MIDI) *standard* is clear, the octaves actually played by any one [MIDI](/source/MIDI) device don't necessarily match the octaves shown below, especially in older instruments.

For instance, the standard [440 Hz](/source/A440_(pitch_standard)) tuning pitch is named **A**4 in scientific notation, **a′** in Helmholtz notation, and number 69 in MIDI.

- Comparison of pitch naming conventions over different octaves Helmholtz notation 'Scientific' note names Latin notation MIDI note numbers Frequency of that octave's A (in Hertz) Frequency of that octave's C (in Hertz) octave name note names sub-subcontra ͵͵͵C – ͵͵͵B C−1 – B−1 Do−2 – Si−2 00 – 11 13.75 8.176 sub-contra ͵͵C – ͵͵B C0 – B0 Do−1 – Si−1 12 – 23 27.50 16.352 contra ͵C – ͵B C1 – B1 Do0 – Si0 24 – 35 55.00 32.703 great C – B C2 – B2 Do1 – Si1 36 – 47 110.00 65.406 small c – b C3 – B3 Do2 – Si2 48 – 59 220.00 130.813 one-lined c′ – b′ C4 – B4 Do3 – Si3 60 – 71 440.00 261.626 two-lined c″ – b″ C5 – B5 Do4 – Si4 72 – 83 880.00 523.251 three-lined c‴ – b‴ C6 – B6 Do5 – Si5 84 – 95 1 760.00 1046.502 four-lined c⁗ – b⁗ C7 – B7 Do6 – Si6 096 – 107 3 520.00 2093.005 five-lined c″‴ – b″‴ C8 – B8 Do7 – Si7 108 – 119 7 040.00 4186.009 six-lined c″⁗ – b″⁗ C9 – B9 Do8 – Si8 120 – 127 (ends at G9) 14 080.00 8372.018

### Pitch frequency in hertz

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Main articles: [Music and mathematics](/source/Music_and_mathematics) and [Pitch (music)](/source/Pitch_(music))

Pitch is associated with the [frequency](/source/Frequency) of physical [oscillations](/source/Oscillations) measured in [hertz](/source/Hertz) (Hz) representing the number of these oscillations per second. While notes can have any arbitrary frequency, notes in [more consonant](/source/Consonance_and_dissonance) music tend to have pitches with simpler mathematical ratios to each other.

Western music defines pitches around a central reference "[concert pitch](/source/Concert_pitch)" of A4, [currently standardized](/source/History_of_pitch_standards_in_Western_music) as 440 Hz. Notes played *in tune* with the [12 equal temperament](/source/12_equal_temperament) system will be an [integer](/source/Integer) number h {\displaystyle h} of half-steps above (positive h {\displaystyle h} ) or below (negative h {\displaystyle h} ) that reference note, and thus have a frequency of:

- f = 2 h 12 × 440 Hz . {\displaystyle f=2^{\frac {h}{12}}\times 440{\text{ Hz}}.\,}

Octaves automatically yield [powers](/source/Exponentiation) of two times the original frequency, since h {\displaystyle h} can be expressed as 12 v {\displaystyle 12v} when h {\displaystyle h} is a multiple of 12 (with v {\displaystyle v} being the number of octaves up or down). Thus the above formula reduces to yield a [power of 2](/source/Power_of_2) multiplied by 440 Hz:

- f = 2 12 v 12 × 440 Hz = 2 v × 440 Hz . {\displaystyle {\begin{aligned}f&=2^{\frac {12v}{12}}\times {\text{440 Hz}}\\&=2^{v}\times {\text{440 Hz}}\,.\end{aligned}}}

#### Logarithmic scale

[Logarithmic plot](/source/Logarithmic_plot) of frequency in [hertz](/source/Hertz) versus pitch of a [chromatic scale](/source/Chromatic_scale) starting on [middle C](/source/Middle_C). Each subsequent note has a pitch equal to the frequency of the prior note's pitch multiplied by 12√2.

The [base-2 logarithm](/source/Base-2_logarithm) of the above frequency–pitch relation conveniently results in a linear relationship with h {\displaystyle h} or v {\displaystyle v} :

- log 2 ⁡ ( f ) = h 12 + log 2 ⁡ ( 440 Hz ) = v + log 2 ⁡ ( 440 Hz ) . {\displaystyle {\begin{aligned}\log _{2}(f)&={\tfrac {h}{12}}+\log _{2}({\text{440 Hz}})\\&=v+\log _{2}({\text{440 Hz}}).\end{aligned}}}

When dealing specifically with intervals (rather than absolute frequency), the constant log 2 ⁡ ( 440 Hz ) {\displaystyle \log _{2}({\text{440 Hz}})} can be conveniently ignored, because the *difference* between any two frequencies f 1 {\displaystyle f_{1}} and f 2 {\displaystyle f_{2}} in this logarithmic scale simplifies to:

- log 2 ⁡ ( f 1 ) − log 2 ⁡ ( f 2 ) = h 1 12 − h 2 12 = v 1 − v 2 . {\displaystyle {\begin{aligned}\log _{2}(f_{1})-\log _{2}(f_{2})&={\tfrac {h_{1}}{12}}-{\tfrac {h_{2}}{12}}\\&=v_{1}-v_{2}\,.\end{aligned}}}

[Cents](/source/Cent_(music)) are a convenient unit for humans to express finer divisions of this logarithmic scale that are 1⁄100th of an equally-[tempered](/source/Musical_temperament) semitone. Since one semitone equals 100 [cents](/source/Cent_(music)), one octave equals 12 ⋅ 100 cents = 1200 cents. Cents correspond to a *difference* in this logarithmic scale, however in the regular linear scale of frequency, adding 1 cent corresponds to *multiplying* a frequency by 1200√2 (≅ 1.000578).

#### MIDI

For use with the [MIDI](/source/MIDI) (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) standard, a frequency mapping is defined by:

- p = 69 + 12 × log 2 ⁡ f 440 Hz , {\displaystyle p=69+12\times \log _{2}{\frac {f}{440{\text{ Hz}}}}\,,}

where p {\displaystyle p} is the MIDI note number. 69 is the number of semitones between C−1 (MIDI note 0) and A4.

Conversely, the formula to determine frequency from a MIDI note p {\displaystyle p} is:

- f = 2 p − 69 12 × 440 Hz . {\displaystyle f=2^{\frac {p-69}{12}}\times 440{\text{ Hz}}\,.}

### Pitch names and their history

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Map of current European preferred note naming
  Fixed do solfège (Si, La diesis, Si bemolle)

  English system (B, A#, Bb)

  German system (H, Ais,B)

  Dutch system (B, Ais,Bes)

  Danish system (H, A#, Bb)

  No data

Main article: [Letter notation](/source/Letter_notation)

Music notation systems have used letters of the [alphabet](/source/Alphabet) for centuries. The 6th century philosopher [Boethius](/source/Boethius) is known to have used the first fourteen letters of the classical [Latin alphabet](/source/Latin_alphabet) (the [letter J](/source/Letter_J) did not exist until the 16th century),

- **A B C D E F G H I K L M N O**

to signify the notes of the two-octave range that was in use at the time[15] and in modern [scientific pitch notation](/source/Scientific_pitch_notation) are represented as

- **A**2 **B**2 **C**3 **D**3 **E**3 **F**3 **G**3 **A**3 **B**3 **C**4 **D**4 **E**4 **F**4 **G**4

Though it is not known whether this was his devising or common usage at the time, this is nonetheless called *Boethian notation*. Although Boethius is the first author known to use this nomenclature in the literature, [Ptolemy](/source/Ptolemy) wrote of the two-octave range five centuries before, calling it the *perfect system* or *complete system* – as opposed to other, smaller-range note systems that did not contain all possible species of octave (i.e., the seven octaves starting from **A**, **B**, **C**, **D**, **E**, **F**, and **G**). A modified form of Boethius' notation later appeared in the *Dialogus de musica* (ca. 1000) by Pseudo-Odo, in a discussion of the division of the [monochord](/source/Monochord).[16]

Following this, the range (or compass) of used notes was extended to three octaves, and the system of repeating letters **A**–**G** in each octave was introduced, these being written as [lower-case](/source/Lower-case) for the second octave (**a**–**g**) and double lower-case letters for the third (**aa**–**gg**). When the range was extended down by one note, to a **G**, that note was denoted using the Greek letter [gamma](/source/Gamma) (**Γ**), the lowest note in Medieval music notation.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] (It is from this gamma that the French word for scale, *gamme* derives,[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*][17] and the English word [*gamut*](/source/Hexachord), from "gamma-ut".[18])

The remaining five notes of the chromatic scale (the black keys on a piano keyboard) were added gradually; the first being **B**♭, since **B** was flattened in certain [modes](/source/Mode_(music)) to avoid the dissonant [tritone](/source/Tritone) interval. This change was not always shown in notation, but when written, **B**♭ (**B** flat) was written as a Latin, cursive "𝒷", and **B**♮ (**B** natural) a Gothic script (known as [Blackletter](/source/Blackletter)) or "hard-edged" 𝔟. These evolved into the modern flat (♭) and natural (♮) symbols respectively. The sharp symbol arose from a ƀ (barred b), called the "cancelled b".[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

#### B♭, B and H

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In parts of Europe, including Germany, Czechia, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, Norway, Denmark, Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, Finland, and Iceland (as well as Sweden before the 1990s), the [Gothic](/source/Blackletter) 𝔟 transformed into the letter **h** (possibly for *[hart](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/hart#German)*, German for "harsh", as opposed to *[blatt](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Blatt#German)*, German for "planar", or just because the Gothic 𝔟 and 𝔥 resemble each other). Therefore, in current German music notation, **H** is used instead of **B**♮ (**B** natural), and **B** instead of **B**♭ (**B** flat). Occasionally, music written in [German](/source/German_language) for international use will use **H** for **B** natural and **B**b for **B** flat (with a modern-script lower-case b, instead of a flat sign, ♭).[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] Since a *Bes* or **B**♭ in Northern Europe (notated **B** in modern convention) is both rare and unorthodox (more likely to be expressed as Heses), it is generally clear what this notation means.

#### System "do–re–mi–fa–sol–la–si"

In Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, French, Romanian, Greek, Albanian, Russian, Mongolian, Flemish, Persian, Arabic, Hebrew, Ukrainian, Bulgarian, Turkish and Vietnamese the note names are *do–re–mi–fa–sol–la–si* rather than **C–D–E–F–G–A–B**. These names follow the original names reputedly given by [Guido d'Arezzo](/source/Guido_d'Arezzo), who had taken them from the first syllables of the first six musical phrases of a [Gregorian chant](/source/Gregorian_chant) melody *[Ut queant laxis](/source/Ut_queant_laxis)*, whose successive lines began on the appropriate scale degrees. These became the basis of the [solfège](/source/Solf%C3%A8ge) system. For ease of singing, the name *ut* was largely replaced by *do* (most likely from the beginning of *Dominus*, "Lord"), though *ut* is still used in some places. It was the Italian musicologist and humanist [Giovanni Battista Doni](/source/Giovanni_Battista_Doni) (1595–1647) who successfully promoted renaming the name of the note from *ut* to *do*. For the seventh degree, the name *si* (from *Sancte Iohannes*, [St. John](/source/John_the_Baptist), to whom the hymn is dedicated), though in some regions the seventh is named *ti* (again, easier to pronounce while singing).[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

## See also

- [Ghost note](/source/Ghost_note)

- [Grace note](/source/Grace_note)

- [Letter notation](/source/Letter_notation)

- [Musical tone](/source/Musical_tone)

- [Pensato](/source/Pensato)

- [Shape note](/source/Shape_note)

## Notes

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** [Solfège](/source/Solf%C3%A8ge) is used in [Albania](/source/Albania), [Belgium](/source/Belgium), [Bulgaria](/source/Bulgaria), [France](/source/France), [Greece](/source/Greece), [Italy](/source/Italy), [Portugal](/source/Portugal), [Romania](/source/Romania), [Russia](/source/Russia), [Spain](/source/Spain), [Turkey](/source/Turkey), [Ukraine](/source/Ukraine), most [Latin American countries](/source/Latin_American_countries), Arabic-speaking and Persian-speaking countries.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** Another style of notation, rarely used in English, uses the suffix "is" to indicate a sharp and "es" (only "s" after A and E) for a flat (e.g. Fis for F♯, Ges for G♭, Es for E♭). This system first arose in Germany and is used in almost all European countries whose main language is not English, Greek, or a Romance language (such as French, Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, and Romanian). In most countries using these suffixes, the letter H is used to represent what is B natural in English, the letter B is used instead of B♭, and Heses (i.e., H𝄫) is used instead of B𝄫 (although Bes and Heses both denote the English B𝄫). Dutch-speakers in Belgium and the Netherlands use the same suffixes, but applied throughout to the notes A to G, so that B, B♭ and B have the same meaning as in English, although they are called B, Bes, and Beses instead of B, B flat and B double flat. Denmark also uses H, but uses Bes instead of Heses for B𝄫.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** used in Austria, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Norway, Poland, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden and Switzerland.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** used in the Netherlands, and sometimes in Scandinavia after the 1990s, and Indonesia.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** used in Italy (*diesis*/*bemolle* are Italian spellings), France, Belgium, Spain, Portugal, Romania, Bulgaria, Russia, Latvia, Greece, Turkey, Israel, Latin America and many other countries.

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTENattiez199081,_note_9_1-0)** [Nattiez 1990](#CITEREFNattiez1990), p. 81, note 9.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** McLaughlin, James M. (1902). *[Elements and Notation of Music.](https://archive.org/details/mclaughlin/mode/2up)* Boston Ginn & Co. Quoted in Music: A Monthly Magazine (1901), p.355.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Crossley-Holland, Peter. ["Rhythm | Definition, Time, & Meter | Britannica"](http://web.archive.org/web/20260313155532/https://www.britannica.com/art/rhythm-music). *Encyclopedia Britannica*. Archived from [the original](https://www.britannica.com/art/rhythm-music) on 2026-03-13. Retrieved 2026-03-19.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Savas I. Savas (1965). *Byzantine Music in Theory and in Practice*. Translated by Nicholas Dufault. Hercules Press.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Castine, Peter. *Set Theory Objects: Abstractions for Computer-Aided Analysis and Composition of Serial and Atonal Music*. P. Lang, 1994. 33.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Haines, John (4 May 2009). ["The Origins of the Musical Staff"](https://academic.oup.com/mq/article-abstract/91/3-4/327/1061299). *[The Musical Quarterly](/source/The_Musical_Quarterly)*. **91** (3–4): 327–328.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["Music note names on staff and piano keyboard, time values and symbols"](https://www.piano-keyboard-guide.com/music-note-names.html). Retrieved 2026-05-17.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-is_10-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-is_10-1) *-is* = [sharp](/source/Sharp_(music)); *-es* (after consonant) and *-s* (after vowel) = [flat](/source/Flat_(music))

1. **[^](#cite_ref-iss_12-0)** *-iss* = [sharp](/source/Sharp_(music)); *-ess* (after consonant) and *-ss* (after vowel) = [flat](/source/Flat_(music))

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** *diesis* = [sharp](/source/Sharp_(music)); *bemolle* = [flat](/source/Flat_(music))

1. **[^](#cite_ref-16)** *diesis* (or *diez*) = [sharp](/source/Sharp_(music)); *hyphesis* = [flat](/source/Flat_(music))

1. **[^](#cite_ref-17)** 嬰 (*ei*) = ♯ ([sharp](/source/Sharp_(music))); 変 (hen) = ♭ ([flat](/source/Flat_(music)))

1. **[^](#cite_ref-18)** According to [Bhatkhande](/source/Vishnu_Narayan_Bhatkhande) Notation. *Tivra* = ♯ ([sharp](/source/Sharp_(music))); *Komal* = ♭ ([flat](/source/Flat_(music)))

1. **[^](#cite_ref-19)** According to Akarmatrik Notation (আকারমাত্রিক স্বরলিপি). Kôṛi = ♯ ([sharp](/source/Sharp_(music))); Komôl = ♭ ([flat](/source/Flat_(music)))

1. **[^](#cite_ref-20)** [Boethius, A.M.S.](/source/Boethius) *[[scores:De institutione musica ([Boëthius, Anicius Manlius Severinus](/source/Boethius)) |*De institutione musica*]]: text at the [International Music Score Library Project](/source/International_Music_Score_Library_Project)*. [Gottfried Friedlein](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gottfried_Friedlein&action=edit&redlink=1) [[de](https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gottfried_Friedlein)] [Boethius](/source/Boethius). Book IV, chapter 14, page 341.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-21)** Browne, Alma Colk (1979). *Medieval letter notations: A survey of the sources* (Ph.D. thesis). Urbana-Champaign, IL: University of Illinois. Herlinger, Jan (2002). "Medieval canonics". In Christensen, Thomas (ed.). *The Cambridge History of Western Music Theory*. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-521-62371-5](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-521-62371-5).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-22)** Pick, Edward (1869). *An Etymological Dictionary Of The French Language*. John Murray.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-23)** Owens, Jessie Ann (2012). ["Review of The Renaissance Reform of Medieval Music Theory: Guido of Arezzo between Myth and History"](https://www.jstor.org/stable/23488551). *Speculum*. **87** (3): 906–908. [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0038-7134](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0038-7134).

## Bibliography

- [Nattiez, Jean-Jacques](/source/Jean-Jacques_Nattiez) (1990) [1987]. *Music and Discourse: Toward a Semiology of Music* [*Musicologie générale et sémiologie*]. Translated by [Carolyn Abbate](/source/Carolyn_Abbate). Princeton University Press. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-691-02714-5](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-691-02714-5).

## External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Musical notes](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Musical_notes).

- [Converter: Frequencies to note name, ± cents](http://www.phys.unsw.edu.au/music/note/)

- [Note names, keyboard positions, frequencies and MIDI numbers](http://www.phys.unsw.edu.au/jw/notes.html)

- [Music notation systems − Frequencies of equal temperament tuning – The English and American system versus the German system](http://www.sengpielaudio.com/calculator-notenames.htm)

- [Frequencies of musical notes](https://web.archive.org/web/20081219095621/http://www.adamsatoms.com/notes/)

- [Learn How to Read Sheet Music](https://blog.sheetmusicplus.com/2015/12/30/learn-how-to-read-sheet-music-notes/)

- [Free music paper for printing and downloading](https://www.4attheclub.de/notenpapier-notenblatt/)

v t e Musical notation Staff 8va 15ma Abbreviation Bar Clef Da capo Dal segno Key signature Ledger line Mode Ossia Scale Rehearsal letter Repeat sign Tempo Time signature Transposition Transposing instrument Musical notes Accidental flat natural sharp Cue note Dotted note Grace note Note value beam Notehead stem Pitch Rest Tacet Tuplet Tremolo Interval Helmholtz pitch notation Letter notation Scientific pitch notation Articulation Accent Caesura Damping Dynamics Fermata Fingering Legato Marcato Ornament Appoggiatura Glissando Grace note Mordent Portamento Slide Trill Portato Slur Staccato Tenuto Tie Tonguing Chords Chord chart Chord diagram Figured bass Lead sheet Sheet music History of music publishing Music engraving Music publisher Scorewriter Other systems Ancient Greek Braille music Chinese Ekphonetic Eye music Gamelan Graphic notation Klavarskribo Kunkunshi Mensural notation Nashville Number System Neume Numbered musical notation Parsons Percussion notation Shakuhachi Shape note Simplified Tablature Swaralipi Znamenny Related Music stand Perfect pitch Sight-reading Transcription List of musical symbols Category:Musical notation

v t e Consonance and dissonance Argument Avoid note Beating Cadence Chord Interval Musical note Nonchord tone Cambiata Changing tones Pedal point Preparation Resolution Spectra Perfect Consonances Perfect unison Perfect fourth Perfect fifth Perfect octave Imperfect Consonances Minor third Major third Minor sixth Major sixth Dissonances Minor second Major second Augmented fourth Diminished fifth Minor seventh Major seventh List of musical intervals

v t e Harmony Accompaniment Alberti bass Banjo roll Cadence Chord Chord progression Four-part Harmonic rhythm Harmonization List of chords List of chord progressions Note Pitch Sequence Simultaneity Voice leading

Authority control databases International GND Other İslâm Ansiklopedisi

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