What does two octaves mean

If we started from D, we would close an octave when we reached D again. The same logic can be applied to an octave below, where the sound gets lower. Since Western music has 12 notes 12 semitones , we can conclude that an octave comprises the distance of six whole tones.

Check below to see how we return to the original note in 6 tones:. Using the C once again, your middle C in musical terms is considered C4. When you go up to the next C, it is C5, and that goes on the same for C you go up to.

As an added explanation, any note lower that middle C cannot be in the fourth octave or higher. An example of this would be the B directly below middle C, that note is known as a B4.

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Ask Question. Asked 3 years, 7 months ago. Active 3 years, 7 months ago. Viewed 32k times. Improve this question. Visal Visal 1 1 gold badge 1 1 silver badge 6 6 bronze badges. It appears to be a simple question, but it is a very important one, and not necessary all that simple when its depths are explored.

It is a good question to ask. Add a comment. Active Oldest Votes. If we take a look at this table of musical notes, and look at any two adjacent C notes, we can see that they do have this 'doubling in frequency' relationship: In that case, we were using 'octave' in the sense of an interval, but sometimes the word is used in the sense of a range of notes that cover the interval of an octave:.

Improve this answer. You are only making provision for the perfect octave and not it's diminished and augmented cousins.

NeilMeyer very true Do you fancy adding an answer adding info from that perspective? As a scale , and as an interval : One definition of Octave is a scale.

Although this sounds nicely mathematical and scientific, it is not very correct: The actual values that delimit a musical octave are determined by the tuning convention being used: An octave is usually not exactly tonic frequency x 2 but hovers around that value - a close enough approximation so that most ears discern octave equivalence [further explained later on] within that range.

The musical definition of octave was explained above. It is an approximation of how the notes represented by a musical Octave are measured scientifically, but there is much more to know about our musical octave to understand its full meaning.

Without necessarily going to the depths of topomorto 's excellent answer. Here, certainly A2 is not double the frequency of A1. This makes defining an octave as a doubling in frequency very incorrect. In particular, two essential points are necessary understand the derivation of our Octave : When we approximately double or halve the frequency of a note, the resulting note sounds exactly the same as the original, just in a lower or higher register.

Example: The note we call Concert A is measured hz in modern systems. It is a general musical concept not tied to any specific instrument, although it is particularly well represented on our modern piano: Further: Dividing the points of octave equivalence across the frequency spectrum into 8 notes is particular to our western musical system. Stinkfoot Stinkfoot 6, 21 21 silver badges 48 48 bronze badges.

It often seems to me that pieces of music terminology do double or more duty, so I find myself having to qualify each term in a lawyer-like way to be unambiguous! BTW I notice that Tim has just asked a question about this subject I also borrowed one of the very important terms you used - octave equivalence - which I heard in the past but did not recall now.

With sound, each doubling of the frequency seems like the addition of an equal interval. To answer this question — or ask a new one — email lastword newscientist. Questions should be scientific enquiries about everyday phenomena, and both questions and answers should be concise.

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