Why are there only 7 musical notes? Was it decided to divide sounds like that or are there no more in nature?
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I’ll explain, but I have to correct you on something. There are twelve notes in an octave, if you only go by half step (including flats/sharps).
There was a smart guy a long time ago named pythagoras.
He had a theorum named after him. Smart guy. Also a rock star for his day.
Found out that if you take two equal strings, then cut one so that it is in a 2:3 ratio to the first, it will be a perfect fifth higher. He kept doing this.
C to G, G to D, D to A, A to E, E to B, B to f#, f# to c#, c# to g#, g# to d#, d# to a#, a# to e# (which is f natural), F back to C.
This is called the circle of fifths. This includes every note of the modern keyboard.
Nonwestern music has quarter tones or nontonal music, but western music (derived from the old dead guys you know, from bach to Wagner) uses almost entirely these twelve tones.
Source: I have a music degree from a prestigious big ten university. Coincidentally, I’m a weld inspector because fuck the fine arts and fuck me for trying to get a career in it.
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