Have to admit from my practices, i've kinda wondered why with different music scores, with some pieces a sharp is written say A sharp rather than a B flat I perfer the B flat but just wonder why when people write music they would have a sharp writen even thou its the same tone, I know this is personal perference to the writer, I can only guess this is done to the flow of the music and not to confuse the player, but sometimes when I play certain pieces have been so tempted to scrub out a note and rewrite with a flat from a tone above kinda Chromatic which I find easier (I don't know why, just find it easier to read), Am I wrong in this or should I just practice more and recognise the sharp / flat. I kinda have to think twice with unfamilar music which i'm playing.......
Also on another note have noticed on the online flute fingering chart the A sharp also the B flat, Is only selected as correct when the B-flat key is used but not the other way as there are two positions. When playing music I don't normally use the flat key, just finding it hard to "diferenchiate" choose between the two, but i'm more inclinded for the 2nd method not using the flat key. Guess this will come in time with practice as to what fingering to use etc.
Sharp or Flat (Chromatic)
Moderators: Classitar, pied_piper, Phineas
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fluttiegurl
- Posts: 882
- Joined: Fri Dec 10, 2004 11:05 pm
I believe the term you are looking for is enharmonic, which is referring to two notes that sound the same but are written differently.
You should become familiar with all keys, major and minor. Typically, most band music is written in keys that contain flatsto accomodate the instrumentation. As you progress as a player and begin playing with different types of ensembles, you will see more sharps.
The reason why relates to the system of key signatures that we use as well as the tinalities of the pieces. There are some that overlap, but it is important to be able to play them as well as to recognize them.
I am not sure what you are asking about the b flat key. are you talking about the b flat thumb key? If so, personal preference comes into play here. There are actually three ways to play B flat on the flute. I use whichever one seems to flow with whatever I am playing.
You should become familiar with all keys, major and minor. Typically, most band music is written in keys that contain flatsto accomodate the instrumentation. As you progress as a player and begin playing with different types of ensembles, you will see more sharps.
The reason why relates to the system of key signatures that we use as well as the tinalities of the pieces. There are some that overlap, but it is important to be able to play them as well as to recognize them.
I am not sure what you are asking about the b flat key. are you talking about the b flat thumb key? If so, personal preference comes into play here. There are actually three ways to play B flat on the flute. I use whichever one seems to flow with whatever I am playing.
Usually, the difference between an A# and a Bb depends on the key, and the harmony.
For example if the arrangement has a harmony based around Eb Major, or an Eb major chord, then these would be the notes
Eb-G-"Bb"-D
Eb Major Key Signature Bb-Eb-Ab
This would be Bb because this chord structure is based in Eb(Can also be in Bb Major, but that is another discussion.)
If the chord structure is based around B Major then you would see these notes.
B-D#-F#-"A#"
B Major Key Signature is C#-F#-G#-D#-A#
Since the key signature has an A#, that is what is used instead of Bb. As you become a more seasoned player, you will get use to the difference between the 2 notes, because harmonicly, they are different.
This is a very simplified explanation, mainly because there are other dependencies like modes(Harmonic, and Natural minor for example), tetra chords, Alternate chords etc....
I hope this helps clear things up.
Phineas
For example if the arrangement has a harmony based around Eb Major, or an Eb major chord, then these would be the notes
Eb-G-"Bb"-D
Eb Major Key Signature Bb-Eb-Ab
This would be Bb because this chord structure is based in Eb(Can also be in Bb Major, but that is another discussion.)
If the chord structure is based around B Major then you would see these notes.
B-D#-F#-"A#"
B Major Key Signature is C#-F#-G#-D#-A#
Since the key signature has an A#, that is what is used instead of Bb. As you become a more seasoned player, you will get use to the difference between the 2 notes, because harmonicly, they are different.
This is a very simplified explanation, mainly because there are other dependencies like modes(Harmonic, and Natural minor for example), tetra chords, Alternate chords etc....
I hope this helps clear things up.
Phineas
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atoriphile
- Posts: 155
- Joined: Sat Nov 11, 2006 2:35 pm
- Location: Washington, DC
Yes, it depends on the key. To make it more clear, an instructor at a flute camp I went to put it this way (paraphrasing):
Think of a scale without flats or sharps first:
B C D E F G A
Then add the appropriate sharps or flats as needed:
B C# D# E F# G# A#
Note that you can't use flats in this instance, because then you would have to skip some letters and would have more than one of the same letter:
B Db Eb E Gb Ab Bb
That just looks silly! Where's the C? Notice the E and B are both natural and flat. How would you write that out musically? You would almost always need to include the accidental.
For the same reason, a mixture of flats and sharps doesn't make sense either:
B C# Eb E F# Ab Bb
So, depending on the key, it must be written with the correct accidental. That's also the reason you see double sharps and double flats.
I'm not a music major, so if anything I said is wrong, feel free to correct. But to me, this makes it easy to understand why they need to use one notation over another.
Think of a scale without flats or sharps first:
B C D E F G A
Then add the appropriate sharps or flats as needed:
B C# D# E F# G# A#
Note that you can't use flats in this instance, because then you would have to skip some letters and would have more than one of the same letter:
B Db Eb E Gb Ab Bb
That just looks silly! Where's the C? Notice the E and B are both natural and flat. How would you write that out musically? You would almost always need to include the accidental.
For the same reason, a mixture of flats and sharps doesn't make sense either:
B C# Eb E F# Ab Bb
So, depending on the key, it must be written with the correct accidental. That's also the reason you see double sharps and double flats.
I'm not a music major, so if anything I said is wrong, feel free to correct. But to me, this makes it easy to understand why they need to use one notation over another.
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