Helmholtz pitch notation is a system for namingmusical notes of theWesternchromatic scale. Fully described and normalized by the German scientistHermann von Helmholtz, it uses a combination ofupper andlower case letters (A to G),[a] and the sub- and super-prime symbols ( ͵ ′ or⸜⸝) to denote each individual note of the scale. It is one of two formal systems for naming notes in a particular octave, the other beingscientific pitch notation.[1][unreliable source?][b]
Helmholtz proposed this system in order to accurately define pitches in his classical work on acousticsDie Lehre von den Tonempfindungen als physiologische Grundlage für die Theorie der Musik (1863) translated into English byA.J. Ellis asOn the Sensations of Tone (1875).[2][3][c]
Helmholtz based his notation on the practice of German organ builders for labelling their pipes, itself derived from the old Germanorgan tablature in use from late medieval times until the early 18th century. His system is widely used by musicians across Europe and is the one used in theNew Grove Dictionary.[2] Once also widely used by scientists and doctors when discussing the scientific and medical aspects of sound in relation to theauditory system, it has now been replaced in the US in scientific and medical contexts byscientific pitch notation.[4][unreliable source?]
The accenting of the scale in Helmholtz notation always starts on the noteC and ends atB (e.g.C D E F G AB). The noteC is shown in different octaves by using upper-case letters for low notes, and lower-case letters for high notes, and adding sub-primes and primes in the following sequence:C͵͵C͵Ccc′c″c‴ (or,,C,CCcc′c″c‴ orC⸜⸜C⸜Ccc⸝c⸝⸝c⸝⸝⸝) and so on.
Middle C is designatedc′, therefore theoctave frommiddle C upwards isc′–b′.
| Octave | Helmholtz | Helmholtz (English) | Helmholtz (numbered) | ABC | Lilypond | SPN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | C͵͵or ͵͵C | CCC | C2or2C | C,,,, | c,,, | C0 |
 | C͵or ͵C | CC | C1or1C | C,,, | c,, | C1 |
 | C | C | C | C,, | c, | C2 |
 | c | c | c | C, | c | C3 |
 | c′ | c′ | c1 | C | c' | C4 |
 | c′′ | c′′ | c2 | c | c'' | C5 |
 | c′′′ | c′′′ | c3 | c' | c''' | C6 |
 | c′′′′ | c′′′′ | c4 | c'' | c'''' | C7 |
 | c′′′′′ | c′′′′′ | c5 | c''' | c''''' | C8 |
C, andC (middle C) andc represent Helmholtzc andc′ andc″ respectively.c,,, andc,, andc, represent HelmholtzC͵͵ andC͵ andC respectively.[5]Whole octaves may also be given a name based on "English strokes notation". For example, the octave fromc′–b′ is called theone-line octave[1] or (less common)once-accented octave.[6] Correspondingly, the notes in the octave may be calledone-linedC (forc′), etc.
This diagram gives examples of the lowest and highest note in each octave, giving their name in the Helmholtz system, and the "German method" of octave nomenclature. (The octave below the contra octave is known as the sub-contra octave.)
{{cite book}}:ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)| Staff | |
|---|---|
| Musical notes | |
| Articulation | |
| Sheet music | |
| Other systems | |
| Related | |
