Why is C the 'first' note of the scale?

[razze06]

[quote name='thisnameistaken' post='679831' date='Dec 10 2009, 02:19 AM']This feels like a really silly question but I genuinely don't get it. If you're going to name the notes after letters of the alphabet, why would C be first?

Or does all this relate to some other alphabet?[/quote]

Because you can't get lower than the bottom of the C....




Sorry I'm hungover after the office Xmas party, couldn't help myself

[Eight]

Just realised my theory above leaves a big question unanswered... if A is the starting point. Then why is the starting point around 435-440Hz!?!

So... I did some "research" (i.e. I made this up) and here we go.

Once upon a time, Raven (who was more known for his keen mind than his singing ability) fell in love with Canary and sought to draw her affection away from his rival Mockingbird.
However, Raven realised he didn't have the vocal chops and was only able to produce one note with any clarity. Frustrated by his own lack of talent, but being a great-thinker, Raven decided to gather around him the best singers available and throw a concert in honor of Canary. Each bird invited to join his chorus was known for their remarkable ability to "know" just which sounds would follow another to make wonderful tunes.

The night of the concert, Raven was confident and brash - expecting success at the highest level. However, during the first song it became apparent that something was wrong - all of the chorus disagreed on which pitch to start with and even though they moved in similar intervals, this difference in starting point created a disharmonious racket.

But Raven was neither a quitter nor a fool - seeing Canary about to fly away, he stopped the concert and gave harsh instruction to the chorus. He told them all that their reference note for their intervals was to be the only note he could sing - "Awwwww". Using their theory and this new reference note, the chorus produced an aria that filled the world with music... and most importantly of all, seeing his clear musical skill and direction, Canary immediately fell in love with Raven.

So there you go, the origins of Concert A and of conductors.

[leftybassman392]

[quote name='Eight' post='681209' date='Dec 11 2009, 12:18 PM']Just realised my theory above leaves a big question unanswered... if A is the starting point. Then why is the starting point around 435-440Hz!?!

So... I did some "research" (i.e. I made this up) and here we go.

Once upon a time, Raven (who was more known for his keen mind than his singing ability) fell in love with Canary and sought to draw her affection away from his rival Mockingbird.
However, Raven realised he didn't have the vocal chops and was only able to produce one note with any clarity. Frustrated by his own lack of talent, but being a great-thinker, Raven decided to gather around him the best singers available and throw a concert in honor of Canary. Each bird invited to join his chorus was known for their remarkable ability to "know" just which sounds would follow another to make wonderful tunes.

The night of the concert, Raven was confident and brash - expecting success at the highest level. However, during the first song it became apparent that something was wrong - all of the chorus disagreed on which pitch to start with and even though they moved in similar intervals, this difference in starting point created a disharmonious racket.

But Raven was neither a quitter nor a fool - seeing Canary about to fly away, he stopped the concert and gave harsh instruction to the chorus. He told them all that their reference note for their intervals was to be the only note he could sing - "Awwwww". Using their theory and this new reference note, the chorus produced an aria that filled the world with music... and most importantly of all, seeing his clear musical skill and direction, Canary immediately fell in love with Raven.

So there you go, the origins of Concert A and of conductors.[/quote]

Whatever you do for a living, you're in the wrong job - unless of course you already work as a fantasy writer!

FWIW, here's a suggestion for a serious answer to the 440Hz reference. Again it's mathematical - 440Hz or so (amazingly, even today not everybody uses exactly 440Hz - that's why electronic tuners allow you to adjust the exact pitch slightly) is a more suitable mid-point in the context of the limits of human hearing (approx. 20Hz - 20kHz) than middle C at around 260Hz in Equal Temperament. Also it's an A, which is at the start of the alphabet and hence has more of a commonsense appeal than C:-

5 Octaves down from 440Hz gives approx. 14Hz - just beyond the lower limit of most people's hearing and around the pitch of the lowest notes on a church organ

5 Octaves + a fourth up from 440Hz gives around 19kHz - around the upper limit.

If you raise the concert pitch by even a few Hz (a lot more common than you would think) it becomes even more central.


If you use C at around 260Hz the numbers are a bit skewed towards the lower end (less space downwards, more space upwards).

Edited December 11, 2009 by leftybassman392

[Eight]

[quote name='leftybassman392' post='681541' date='Dec 11 2009, 05:45 PM']Whatever you do for a living, you're in the wrong job - unless of course you already work as a fantasy writer! [/quote]
Hahahaha... just too much caffeine today I think.

[quote]FWIW, here's a suggestion for a serious answer to the 440Hz reference. Again it's mathematical[/quote]
Damn you! You had to come along and trump me with all that cleverness.