Basic Pitch and Notes Explained
Here is the very basics for those in doubt…
Octaves
There are 12 notes repeated over and over in a cycle, these cover an Octave distance. So… the note C found in the next cycle is an Octave higher, similarly - C in the previous cycle is an Octave lower.
The cycle of notes goes from A through to G and starts again on A.
Up and Down in pitch
Going up in pitch means you go up in the note name (C > D), going down in pitch means you go down in the note name (D > C).
Flats and Sharps
There are 7 natural notes (c,d,e,f,g,a,b) and yet 12 notes in an octave, so where are the other 5 notes you may be wondering. They’re found inbetween the natural notes in the form of Flats and Sharps. A Flat is lower in pitch than the natural note equivevent whereas a Sharp is higher. Therefore inbetween A-B we can find A Sharp and B Flat, both of which sound the same. Just to say, all but two pairs of notes have Flats and Sharps - B-C and E-F are both directly linked with no intermediate notes.
