Note Nomenclature

Gandalfe

Gandalfe

Striving to play the changes in a melodic way.
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Taken from http://www.woodwindforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2324

I've always used the note nomenclature note+number to indicate what note is being played thusly: The bottom A in an instrument regardless of it's key is A1. The next playable A is A2. It works well for me but I'm surrounded by mostly hobbyists and even with some music majors, they understand me.

However, some people seem to refer to a note based on where it is in a C scale as if it were on a piano or some such. Now I know enough theory to use this but most of the people I know don't understand that. Indeed, when I use that method of identifying a note the person will usually look at me like a deer in headlights.

Can someone explain what is the correct way to identify a note on say an alto sax?
 
I share your frustration (aaah feeeel youah paain). I prefer to refer to notes native to the instrument. I do a lot of arranging in Sibelius, and according to their instrument database, the professional range of an alto is from C#3 to A5 concert - definitely referencing the piano.

It gets even crazier when you deal with percussion staves. Sometimes I want to filter out a particular percussion sound so I can change it, and the program demands that you reference it in the correct octave. What the heck octave is a cowbell in?
 
Gandalfe said:
Can someone explain what is the correct way to identify a note on say an alto sax?
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There is no single correct way, I think; I prefer the scientific pitch notation.

(I usually refer to the written note, as that's what players are used to)

C4 is exactly between the Bass and the Violin Clef staff, and roughly in the middle of the piano keyboard, and usually the lowest C a Violin-Clef wind instrument can play.

When I refer to a specific instrument in spoken language, I say eg "Low/middle/high C", "low Clarion B" or "throat A". But in written form I use scientific.
 
I don't know if there is a correct way to do it, but I prefer using the notes as they are fingered on a particular instrument. For alto (at least mine that oinly go as low as the horn's low Bb), the low Bb would be Bb1 and the number goes up as the pitch goes to he next octave . . . hence Bb1 - Bb2 - Bb3. That makes sense to me and it doesn'r require anyone to go through the transposing drill.

Same with soprano . . . Bb1 - Bb2 - Bb3, etc., recognizing that the sounded tone is not the same as a transposing instrument's fingered tone. DAVE
 
I prefer the low, middle, and high approach to sax. Everyone know what low C is . . or at least I hope they do. :D
 
Ed Svoboda said:
I prefer the low, middle, and high approach to sax. Everyone know what low C is . . or at least I hope they do. :D
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Well for clarinet there'd be at least five octaves for E!

I think I'll continue to use the method I've been using as it works for most players. I looked at the article Ben pointed to in Wikipedia and there are many named methods for naming a note, but no name for the method I'm using. I think I'll call it the JaAG notation. :emoji_rage:
 
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...when someone mentions a problem with his/her instrument around a specific note, how many of you will mentally finger that note (or reflexively move their fingers) when they think about an answer?

Of course, this doesn't solve Gandalfe's initial problem...unless we start writing
TRxxx|oxo instead of F#5. :cool:
 
The "correct way" is, I think, whatever way most effectively communicates your meaning to whomever you are talking to.

When I address sax players, I say Bb1 through F#3, for example, and they seem to know what I mean.

Speaking to trumpet players, I say C below the staff, C on the staff, high C, double high C, etc.

For piano players, it's A1 though C8.

For drummers, it's crash, bam, alakazam!

(Our conductor when talking to the band usually says, "concert C" or "your C" when addressing a specific player of a non C instrument.)
 
tictactux said:
...when someone mentions a problem with his/her instrument around a specific note, how many of you will mentally finger that note (or reflexively move their fingers) when they think about an answer?
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I do it with trumpet fingerings. For some reason, I cannot play "air saxophone" fingerings intuitively. I need the sax in my hands.
 
Standard Reference

I have a handy reference table posted on contrabass.com. It has concert pitches in several different styles of nomenclature, although not instrument specific (like Bb1 for saxophones). Also includes pitches in Hz, MIDI note number, etc.
 
I have to agree with Ed on this one for sure.

I have never referred to any note as Note+number. Personally ... if you said that to me a) I would be wondering if you meant concert or written. 2nd ... I would actually have to figure it out since it's not something I use. (playing-wise ... I do use it sometimes in my study of composition)

If you tell me to play something ... eg. Low D, Middle C, High A ... etc. I know exactly what's what.


I think it's just yet another thing in music that is open to each person's approach and teachings. And then somewhere beyond that we all have to find a way to meet in the middle.

:eek:)
 
As for cowbell, my group has three different ones (each in a different pitch), or six if you count the Latin setup for the vocalist who plays timbales. The drummer and I just go "high", "mid", and "low" to keep them straight.
 
My apologies for replying to this thread so late.

I remember reading about notation in one of my texts and have just looked it up for you.

There are two methods that are mentioned. The first one takes middle C and is labeled c1. All the notes upwards are labeled with the appropriate number. Then the lowest A is labeled AAA and the next A up is AA and so on till you reach middle C. Example: AAA, AA, A, a, a1 ...

The alternate system labels the lowest A as A0 and counts upwards each octave. The same example would be A0, A1, A2, A3, A4 ...
 
I like scientific pitch notation as it works for everything...:emoji_rolling_eyes: But whenever I say I can play altissimo G6, people always think I have super altissimo chops and can play the G three octaves above that! Which is the most common one I see here and SOTW. Beginning with Bb1. If low A (as on baris and some altos) was A1, what about the low G basses???:???: And what about brasses - pedal tones or whatever they're called? (I still don't understand when I hear a trumpeter saying "I can play double F" or blahblahblah...:emoji_relaxed:

And Heckelphone, that chart's pretty nice!
 
Yamahaaltoplayer said:
(I still don't understand when I hear a trumpeter saying "I can play double F" or blahblahblah...:emoji_relaxed:
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High F is F above the staff. Double high F is an octave above high F. Triple high F is an octave above that. Anything higher is heard only by dogs.
 
Al Stevens said:
That's backwards. We show off with screaming pitches. We have only two dynamics: ffff and tacit.
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I seem to recall a joke about that - something about the conductor asking the lead trumpet why he was playing, and he replied "It said tacit, so I took it!"
 
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