From: Tako Oda
To: VOCALIST <vocalist>
Subject: Re: Meaning of C1, E4 nomenclature
Send reply to: VOCALIST <vocalist>

> From: "Diane M. Clark"
>
> Margaret Scheers wrote:
>
> > I've been lurking on the list for a bit and I'm not familiar with the terms
> > A2, C5 and so on. How do they relate to Middle C, the C below middle C and
> > so forth?
>
> C1 is the lowest C on the piano keyboard. The notes above it, D-B, are also
> numbered 1. Middle C is C4.

Just for further clarification, is A1 the A below C1 or the one above
it? I've seen two different systems in common use, one with the
numbering beginning with A, the other with C. It seems to make sense to
start with A since most pianos begin with A, but that's just my
opinon...

Anyway, it'd be nice if we could get a consensus, just for the purposes
of our lovely list :) We seem to spend a lot of time collectively trying
to clarify in reference to piano middle C which seems kinda silly.

Tako Oda, countertenor
TakoOda-at-aol.com