octave notation

[Susan Kline]

Dear Richard,

I'm sorry, but even though I was exposed to the c', c'', CC, etc. system in
Conservatory before I ever worked on pianos, I still find it cumbersome and
awkward, especially if expressed as c2, etc. This is because of the wide use
of the other specifically piano notation, where the keyboard starts at A0
and finishes at C8. Therefore, if you write a note as a2, a large number
(even a majority of) tuners will assume that you mean A2 (A=110 Hz.) You
would constantly have to repeat the description of your system, and many
would not adopt it even so. 

Personally, while I have used the system where each note has a consecutive
number (keyboard from A1 to C88), I now prefer the note name and the octave
designation, as being the clearest, easiest to use, and most universally
used among tuners. A4 being the "5th" A on the keyboard isn't hard to
accommodate if you think of it as being the 4th A that is part of a full
octave, as starting with A0 indicates.

I would imagine that if we are going below the compass of the piano, as in
MIDI, we could designate the note below C0 as B00? Would wake people up, at
least.

Yours,

Susan

.

At 02:02 AM 8/2/97 -0500, you wrote:
>Hi Tony
>	Yes MC is Middle C.  
>	And I think it is time to agree on how the notes should be expressed
>when on the internet. (ie using ASCII)   There is a system that uses
>small and capitol letters and "accents" to name the notes.  This
>system shows middle C as    c'          However the    '    can get
>lost, but I have seen  c1 that makes better sense, the 1 standing for
>the  '       Anyhow the  c'   "system" uses  c' for middle C, and  c
>for the octave below. and C for the octave below that.  Of course for
>the octave above middle C  it is c''   but again I think c2 is
>clearer, at least on a computer screen.  
>	I think some variation of this system is better in that all
>keyboards would have the same nomenclature, not just the piano. 
>(where A4 ((American Accoustical Society))is A440 even though it is
>the fifth A on the modern piano keyboard)
>	I believe a notation of c1 for Middle C and   c   for the octave
>below and C the octave below that and C1 the octave below that and so
>on might be more useful, and in accordance with the organ tradition
>that is almost 1000 years old, and at the same time accomodating
>keyboards such as synthesizers, midi systems, 2 and 3 manual
>keyboards, harpsichords, clavichords, bass pedals, etc, etc.    
>	So, quick, what is A440??   Hmm it is in the octave of c1, so must
>be a1.  So what is A220?  That is in the octave of  c   so it would
>be a.   and what then would be A110?  That would be A.   and A55?
>that would be A1, and the lowest note on the piano keyboard, (other
>than Bosendorfer) would be A2.  and the A below that, (as used in
>midi) would be A3 .
>
>Richard Moody
>
>----------
>> From: Amrotek@aol.com
>> To: pianotech@ptg.org
>> Subject: Re: query
>> Date: Friday, August 01, 1997 7:54 AM
>> 
>> Hello rm
>> 
>> When you refer to M C, do you mean to indicate middle C or what?
>> 
>> Tony Arguello
>> Amro Music
>> Memphis, TN
>
>
Susan Kline 
P.O. Box 1651
Philomath, OR 97370
skline@proaxis.com

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