B (B-flat) is the eleventh step of the Western
chromatic scale (starting from
C).
It lies a
diatonic semitone above
A and a
chromatic semitone below B, thus being
enharmonic to
A, even though in some
musical tunings, B will have a different sounding pitch than A. B-flat is also enharmonic to C (C-double flat).
When calculated in
equal temperament with a reference of
A above
middle C as 440
Hz, 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 ...
of the B above middle C is approximately 466.164 Hz. See
pitch (music) for a discussion of historical variations in frequency.
While
orchestra
An orchestra (; ) is a large instrumental ensemble typical of classical music, which combines instruments from different families.
There are typically four main sections of instruments:
* bowed string instruments, such as the violin, viola, c ...
s tune to an A provided by the
oboist,
wind ensembles
A concert band, also called a wind band, wind ensemble, wind symphony, wind orchestra, symphonic band, the symphonic winds, or symphonic wind ensemble, is a performing ensemble consisting of members of the woodwind, brass, and percussion famil ...
usually tune to a B-flat provided by a
tuba,
horn, or
clarinet
The clarinet is a musical instrument in the woodwind family. The instrument has a nearly cylindrical bore and a flared bell, and uses a single reed to produce sound.
Clarinets comprise a family of instruments of differing sizes and pitch ...
.
In Germany, Russia, Poland and Scandinavia, this pitch is designated B, with 'H' used to designate the B-
natural
Nature, in the broadest sense, is the physical world or universe. "Nature" can refer to the phenomena of the physical world, and also to life in general. The study of nature is a large, if not the only, part of science. Although humans ar ...
. Since the 1990s, B-flat is often denoted Bb or "Bess" instead of B in Swedish music textbooks. Natural B is called B by Swedish jazz and pop musicians, but still denoted H in classical music. See
B (musical note) and
Musical note#Note names and their history for explanations.
Designation by octave
Scales
Common scales beginning on B
*
B-flat major: B C D E F G A B
*
B-flat natural minor: B C D E F G A B
* B-flat
harmonic minor: B C D E F G A B
* B-flat
melodic minor ascending: B C D E F G A B
* B-flat melodic minor descending: B A G F E D C B
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
* B
Ionian: B C D E F G A B
* B
Dorian: B C D E F G A B
* B
Phrygian: B C D E F G A B
* B
Lydian: B C D E F G A B
* B
Mixolydian: B C D E F G A B
* B
Aeolian: B C D E F G A B
* B
Locrian: B C D E F G A B
Jazz melodic minor
* B
ascending melodic minor: B C D E F G A B
* B
Dorian ♭2: B C D E F G A B
* B
Lydian augmented: B C D E F G A B
* B
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 ...
: B C D E F G A B
* B
Mixolydian ♭6: B C D E F G A B
* B
Locrian ♮2: B C D E F G A B
* B
altered: B C D E F G A B
See also
*
Piano key frequencies
*
:B-flat instruments
*
Root (chord)
{{DEFAULTSORT:B Flat
Musical notes
sv:Ton (ljud)#B, H och Bess