5 ms·
Personally I love scientific pitch [1] (C=128Hz, A=~432Hz, 12-TET), I wonder why the world is still using A=440, it doesn't make sense to me. Powers of two is t
by ofou 5y ago
Personally I love scientific pitch [1] (C=128Hz, A=~432Hz, 12-TET), I wonder why the world is still using A=440, it doesn't make sense to me. Powers of two is the way to go.
[1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_pitch https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_pitch
- colejohnson66 5y agoWhy does it need to be powers of two? The whole idea of 432 is nicer numbers, but if you’re using equal temperament (12-TET specifically), you’re already using the “ugly” 12th root of 2.
- ofou 5y agoI agree... ugly, but based in the root of two. It makes sense to use the powers of two because you can literally remember the frequencies of C through octaves, C0=16Hz, C4=256Hz, can you do that with 440hz? I don't see any advantage of using an arbitrary frequency such as 440 oscillations per second for A instead.
- colejohnson66 5y agoAnd yet you arbitrarily choose to base your system on C. With A, I can say A1=55, A2=110, A3=220, A4=440. C isn’t any more special than A except maybe scientific notation being based on C. Your argument seems to hinge on being able to know the frequency of a specific “C”, but how often is that necessary?
- ofou 5y agoWhen Tuning acoustic instruments for example.
- colejohnson66 5y agoThe simple solution is a chromatic tuner that displays the note and octave. If I want to tune a guitar’s low E string, I just pluck it until my tuner says I’m at E2. Sure, it assumes A440, but I don’t need to know the actual frequencies of E2, A2, D3, etc., so I don’t care to use any other A4.
- karmakaze 5y agoPower of two can't have any pure natural meaning because the length of 1 second is arbitrary.
- ofou 5y agoThe definition of the second is not arbitrary. It has deep historic roots.
- rowanG077 5y agoThat is the meaning of arbitrary. It doesn't have any relation to the way sound is perceived. So the power of two relation either doesn't matter or is a coincidence.
- ofou 5y agoIt's about order and congruence. This is why standards are created. I don't see good reasons for A=440 either.
- karmakaze 5y agoDoes it work out in Planck units?
- yongjik 5y agoThere's nothing "scientific" about choosing a note whose frequency is the average length of the day, divided by 24 by 60 by 60 by 256 by (fourth root of two, cubed). It's numerology.
- ofou 5y agoIt's easy to remember. C0=16Hz, C4=256Hz and so on. There any advantages to settle for 440 either. At least Scientific Pitch helps to remember frequencies based on octaves. Even calculating 12-TET (which is the standard nowadays) is calculated using roots of two.
- DemocracyFTW 5y agoThis is like attaching great significance to the digits of measuring the Great Pyramid's base line in meters or inches.