Re: [Harp-L] Why is C not named A?

[Winslow Yerxa <winslowyerxa@xxxxxxxxx>]

Not sure I can give a decisive answer as to the "why", but it's
interesting to note that use of letters of the alphabet used to
indicate successive notes in a musical scale goes back to the ancient
Greeks. Several medieval systems did not stop and repeat at the octave;
some went all the way from A to P. And some did use A to indicate the
note we now call C.

Reading about the history of how scales were constructed in former
centuries can be pretty interesting. Our modern ideas about modal
scales have little to do with the medieval concepts of modes, which are
fairly complex, so it is not at all obvious that starting a scale on A
would result in what we now call the Aeolian mode.

Much of what we routinely accept is historical accident. Every language
has idiomatic expressions - utterances that are commonly understood but
which make no logical sense if deconstructed. Perhaps our centering the
musical universe around the third letter of the alphabet instead of the
first could be considered to be something like that.

WIns;pw

--- Michael Rubin <rubinmichael@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> Is Winslow still on the list?  This question is for everyone, but
> somehow I am guessing he knows the answer.I have a student who claims
> that until he understands the purpose for history having named the
> notes the names they have, he cannot really learn.  He says it is
> just parroting.  
>    
>   So, why are the notes named as they are?  It seems that C should be
> named A.  Then a major scale would be played when starting on A and
> not hitting the white notes.  I transposed all my scales into this
> new system and it works fine.  I could see no problems with it.  
>   My initial thought was that the Aeolian scale or natural minor
> scale was the scale that was the most standard during the time when
> the notes were named.  Anyway, what's the history?
>   I know this seems to have no harp content.  Pretty bad for my first
> day back on list.  I maintain that all theory questions are
> inherently harp content because knowing theory will inform your
> playing.  
>   Also, please consider I am a harp teacher.  Teachers, what do you
> do with students who make statements such as these?  
>   Michael Rubin
>   Michaelrubinharmonica.com
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