B (musical note)
|This article does not cite any sources. (July 2009)|
When calculated in equal temperament with a reference of A above middle C as 440 Hz, the frequency of Middle B (B4) is approximately 493.883 Hz. See pitch (music) for a discussion of historical variations in frequency.
Designation by octave
|Scientific designation||Helmholtz designation||Bilinear music notation||Octave name||Frequency (Hz)|
|B−1||B͵͵͵ or ͵͵͵B or BBBB||(-uB)||Subsubcontra||15.434|
|B0||B͵͵ or ͵͵B or BBB||(-vB)||Subcontra||30.868|
|B1||B͵ or ͵B or BB||(-wB)||Contra||61.735|
Common scales beginning on B
- B Major: B C♯ D♯ E F♯ G♯ A♯ B
- B Natural Minor: B C♯ D E F♯ G A B
- B Harmonic Minor: B C♯ D E F♯ G A♯ B
- B Melodic Minor Ascending: B C♯ D E F♯ G♯ A♯ B
- B Melodic Minor Descending: B A G F♯ E D C♯ B
- B Ionian: B C♯ D♯ E F♯ G♯ A♯ B
- B Dorian: B C♯ D E F♯ G♯ A B
- B Phrygian: B C D E F♯ G A B
- B Lydian: B C♯ D♯ E♯ F♯ G♯ A♯ B
- B Mixolydian: B C♯ D♯ E F♯ G♯ A B
- B Aeolian: B C♯ D E F♯ G A B
- B Locrian: B C D E F G A B
- B Ascending Melodic Minor: B C♯ D E F♯ G♯ A♯ B
- B Dorian ♭2: B C D E F♯ G♯ A B
- B Lydian Augmented: B C♯ D♯ E♯ F G♯ A♯ B
- B Lydian Dominant: B C♯ D♯ E♯ F♯ G♯ A B
- B Mixolydian ♭6: B C♯ D♯ E F♯ G A B
- B Locrian ♮2: B C♯ D E F G A B
- B Altered: B C D E♭ F G A B
Variation of meaning by geographical region
The referent of the musical note B varies by location. See note for a discussion on other differences in letter naming of the notes.
In the United States, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, and the Netherlands, as described above, B usually refers to the note a semitone below C, while B-flat refers to the note a whole tone below C.
However, in Germany, Central and Eastern Europe, and Scandinavia, the label B is used for what, above, is called B-flat, and the note a semitone below C is called H. This makes possible certain spellings which are otherwise impossible, such as the BACH motif.