A or La is the sixth
note and the tenth
semitone
A semitone, also called a half step or a half tone, is the smallest musical interval commonly used in Western tonal music, and it is considered the most dissonant when sounded harmonically.
It is defined as the interval between two adjacent no ...
of the
fixed-do solfège.
Its
enharmonic
In modern musical notation and tuning, an enharmonic equivalent is a note, interval, or key signature that is equivalent to some other note, interval, or key signature but "spelled", or named differently. The enharmonic spelling of a writte ...
equivalents are B (B double flat) which is a diatonic semitone above A and G (G double sharp) which is a diatonic semitone below A.
"A" is generally used as a
standard for tuning. When the orchestra tunes, the
oboe
The oboe ( ) is a type of double reed woodwind instrument. Oboes are usually made of wood, but may also be made of synthetic materials, such as plastic, resin, or hybrid composites. The most common oboe plays in the treble or soprano range.
...
plays an "A" and the rest of the instruments tune to match that pitch. Every string instrument in the orchestra has an A string, from which each player can tune the rest of their instrument.
"A" is also used in combination with a number (e.g. A-440) to label the pitch standard. The number designates the
frequency
Frequency is the number of occurrences of a repeating event per unit of time. It is also occasionally referred to as ''temporal frequency'' for clarity, and is distinct from ''angular frequency''. Frequency is measured in hertz (Hz) which is eq ...
in
hertz
The hertz (symbol: Hz) is the unit of frequency in the International System of Units (SI), equivalent to one event (or cycle) per second. The hertz is an SI derived unit whose expression in terms of SI base units is s−1, meaning that o ...
. A lower number equals a lower pitch.
The
International Standards Organization
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO ) is an international standard development organization composed of representatives from the national standards organizations of member countries. Membership requirements are given in Art ...
(ISO) has standardized the pitch at
A-440.
However, tuning has varied over time, geographical region, or instrument maker. In 17th-century
Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...
, tunings ranged from about A-374 to A-403, approximately two to three
semitone
A semitone, also called a half step or a half tone, is the smallest musical interval commonly used in Western tonal music, and it is considered the most dissonant when sounded harmonically.
It is defined as the interval between two adjacent no ...
s below A-440. Historical examples exist of instruments, tuning forks, or standards ranging from A-309 to A-455.3, a difference of almost six semitones. Although the official standard today is A-440, some orchestral groups and chamber groups prefer to tune a little higher, at A-442 or even A-444.
Baroque
The Baroque (, ; ) is a style of architecture, music, dance, painting, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished in Europe from the early 17th century until the 1750s. In the territories of the Spanish and Portuguese empires including ...
pitch is usually cited as A-415, which is a semitone lower than modern pitch.
A0 is the lowest note on the standard
piano
The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). It is played using a keyboa ...
. The octaves follow A1, A2, etc. A7 is a few pitches lower than
C8, the highest note on the standard piano. The note "A" is not considered to be a certain milestone or mark to hit with voice as, for example,
Tenor C
C or Do is the first note and semitone of the C major scale, the third note of the A minor scale (the relative minor of C major), and the fourth note (G, A, B, C) of the Guidonian hand, commonly pitched around 261.63 Hz. The actual f ...
is, but it can be extremely demanding in certain
octave
In music, an octave ( la, octavus: eighth) or perfect octave (sometimes called the diapason) is the interval between one musical pitch and another with double its frequency. The octave relationship is a natural phenomenon that has been refer ...
s.
Designation by octave
Scales
Common scales beginning on A
*
A major
A major (or the key of A) is a major scale based on A, with the pitches A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. Its key signature has three sharps. Its relative minor is F-sharp minor and its parallel minor is A minor. The key of A major is the only k ...
: A B C D E F G A
*
A natural minor: A B C D E F G A
* A
harmonic minor: A B C D E F G A
* A
melodic minor
In music theory, the minor scale is three scale patterns – the natural minor scale (or Aeolian mode), the harmonic minor scale, and the melodic minor scale (ascending or descending) – rather than just two as with the major scale, which al ...
ascending: A B C D E F G A
* A melodic minor descending: A G F E D C B A
Diatonic scale
In music theory, a diatonic scale is any heptatonic scale that includes five whole steps (whole tones) and two half steps (semitones) in each octave, in which the two half steps are separated from each other by either two or three whole st ...
s
* A
Ionian: A B C D E F G A
* A
Dorian: A B C D E F G A
* A
Phrygian: A B C D E F G A
* A
Lydian: A B C D E F G A
* A
Mixolydian: A B C D E F G A
* A
Aeolian: A B C D E F G A
* A
Locrian: A B C D E F G A
Jazz melodic minor
* A
Ascending melodic minor: A B C D E F G A
* A
Dorian ♭2: A B C D E F G A
* A
Lydian augmented: A B C D E F G A
* A
Lydian dominant
In music, the acoustic scale, overtone scale, Lydian dominant scale, Lydian 7 scale, or the Pontikonisian Scale is a seven-note synthetic scale.
:
This differs from the major scale in having an augmented fourth and a minor seventh scale degre ...
: A B C D E F G A
* A
Mixolydian ♭6: A B C D E F G A
* A
Locrian ♮2: A B C D E F G A
* A
Altered: A B C D E F G A
See also
*
Piano key frequencies
This is a list of the fundamental frequencies in hertz (cycles per second) of the keys of a modern 88-key standard or 108-key extended piano in twelve-tone equal temperament, with the 49th key, the fifth A (called A4), tuned to 440 Hz (refe ...
*
A major
A major (or the key of A) is a major scale based on A, with the pitches A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. Its key signature has three sharps. Its relative minor is F-sharp minor and its parallel minor is A minor. The key of A major is the only k ...
*
A minor
A minor is a minor scale based on A, with the pitches A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. Its key signature has no flats and no sharps. Its relative major is C major and its parallel major is A major.
The A natural minor scale is:
:
Changes ...
*
Root (chord)
In music theory, the concept of root is the idea that a chord can be represented and named by one of its notes. It is linked to harmonic thinking—the idea that vertical aggregates of notes can form a single unit, a chord. It is in this sens ...
References
External links
Standard Pitch or Concert Pitch for Pianosby Barrie Heaton
{{Semitones
Musical notes