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B (musical note)

Musical note

} B, also known as Si, Ti, or, in some European countries, H, is the seventh note and the twelfth semitone of the fixed-Do solfège. Its enharmonic equivalents are C (C-flat) and A (A-double sharp).

When calculated in equal temperament with a reference of A above middle C as 440 Hz, the frequency of Middle B (B4) is 493.883 Hz. See musical pitch for a discussion of historical variations in frequency.

Designation by octave

Scientific designation	Helmholtz designation	Octave name	MIDI note number
B−1	B͵͵͵ or ͵͵͵B or BBBB	Subsubcontra	11
B0	B͵͵ or ͵͵B or BBB	Subcontra	23
B1	B͵ or ͵B or BB	Contra	35
B2	B	Great	47
B3	b	Small	59
B4	b	One-lined	71
B5	b	Two-lined	83
B6	b	Three-lined	95
B7	b	Four-lined	107
B8	b	Five-lined	119
B9	b	Six-lined	N/A
B10	b	Seven-lined	N/A

Scales

Common scales beginning on B

B major: B C D E F G A B
B natural minor: B C D E F G A B
B Harmonic minor: B C D E F G A B
B Melodic minor ascending: B C D E F G A B
B melodic minor descending: B A G F E D C B

[[Diatonic scale|Diatonic scales]]

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 scale#Modes of the melodic minor scale|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: 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

Variation of meaning by geographical region

The referent of the musical note B varies by location. See for a discussion on other differences in letter naming of the notes.

In the United States, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, and the Netherlands, as described above, B usually refers to the note a semitone below C, while B-flat refers to the note a whole tone below C.

However, in Germany, Central and Eastern Europe, and Scandinavia, the label B is sometimes used for what, above, is called B-flat, and the note a semitone below C is called H. This makes possible certain spellings which are otherwise impossible, such as the BACH motif and the DSCH motif (the latter of which also uses the "S" name for what in Anglophone would be E-flat).

References

"B {{!}} Flat, Sharp, Enharmonic {{!}} Britannica".
Suits, B. H.. (1998). "Physics of Music Notes - Scales: Just vs Equal Temperament". Michigan Technological University.

Info: Wikipedia Source

This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page.

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