Beginners Question

[alaskan anglo]

Hello,

I have been reading this site for 6 months and have learned a lot. I have a Rochelle that I purchased from the Button Box. It is my first musical instrument. My question is, what does this mean? Bb. It is the small b that confuses me. Actually I have lots of questions, but this will do for now

Thanks,

Mike

[groeswenphil]

Hello,

I have been reading this site for 6 months and have learned a lot. I have a Rochelle that I purchased from the Button Box. It is my first musical instrument. My question is, what does this mean? Bb. It is the small b that confuses me. Actually I have lots of questions, but this will do for now

Thanks,

Mike

The second b signifies a flat.........Thus Eb is the note E flat....Bb is the note B flat.....they're the black notes on the panano )

 

Alternately # signifies a sharp note so F# = F sharp.

 

But I bet there are other opinions on the matter (wink)

 

Phil

[Anglo-Irishman]

Hello,

I have been reading this site for 6 months and have learned a lot. I have a Rochelle that I purchased from the Button Box. It is my first musical instrument. My question is, what does this mean? Bb. It is the small b that confuses me. Actually I have lots of questions, but this will do for now

Thanks,

Mike

 

Hi, Mike,

Welcome to the forum!

 

The answer to your question is quite simple: read "Bb" as B-flat". The note a semitone below B.

 

Computer keyboards don't have musical symbols, so we cheat by using a small "b" for the "flat" sign. Fortunately, we have the American pound or number character for "sharp" - that's "#" as in "F#" = "F-sharp", the note a semitone above F.

 

Next question!

 

Cheers,

John

[Rhomylly]

Each note has a note that's sharp in relation to it (the next key to the right on a piano keyboard, black or white) and a note that's flat in relation to it (the next key to the left on a piano keyboard, black or white).

 

b means flat

 

# means sharp

 

So Bb means the note directly to the left of B on a piano keyboard..

 

Every piece of music, every song, every tune, is written in a key. The names of the keys are the same as the names of the notes: A, B, C, D, E, F, G. The name of the key, for example the key of C, means that the scale (do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, ti do) (go find a copy of The Sound of Music soundtrack and listen to "Do, a Deer") starts with a C note.

 

Now, C is the only scale on a piano that can be played with no sharps or flats. So no little b's or little tic-tac-toe grids at the beginning of the written-down notes. C D E F G A B C

 

The key of G starts on the note G. However, because of the notes' relation to each other, the basic scale is G A B C D E F# G

 

There is also a key of Bb. That is the "home key" for clarinets and, therefore, most jazz music.

 

Does this help?

[alaskan anglo]

Thanks to all for the quick and good Information. I guess I haven't tried out any tunes with flats in them. In looking over my key lay out it seems that I have 3 Bb's and no others.

anyway thanks again for the help.

Mike

[wntrmute]

Just to confuddle you more: an F# is a Gb, G# is an Ab, an A# is a Bb, a C# is a Db, and a D# is an Eb.

Likewise, a B is a Cb, while a C is a B#. And an F is an E#, while the E is an Fb.

Note that this is only true in equal temperment. Otherwise things get real confusing.

[drbones]

Just to confuddle you more: an F# is a Gb, G# is an Ab, an A# is a Bb, a C# is a Db, and a D# is an Eb.

Likewise, a B is a Cb, while a C is a B#. And an F is an E#, while the E is an Fb.

Note that this is only true in equal temperment. Otherwise things get real confusing.

As a newbie myself and a lifetime member of the I.S.S. (International Sarcasm Society), I just want to say, sincerely, Gee Thanks!

 

(edited for crappy spelling of "of")

Edited October 2, 2008 by drbones

[Boney]

Just to confuddle you more: an F# is a Gb, G# is an Ab, an A# is a Bb, a C# is a Db, and a D# is an Eb.

Likewise, a B is a Cb, while a C is a B#. And an F is an E#, while the E is an Fb.

Note that this is only true in equal temperment. Otherwise things get real confusing.

As a newbie myself and a lifetime member ot the I.S.S. (International Sarcasm Society), I just want to say, sincerely, Gee Thanks!

Since you're keen on the subject, you could also study up on double sharps and double flats. And if you start getting into Arabic or experimental music, quarter-tones.