Interactive theory · Lesson 1
Sounds Have Names: Pitch Names, Solfege, and Octaves
First, distinguish between "one octave higher" and "the same note," then memorize the two sets of names for pitches.
Did you know · The two different "Dos" on the piano are actually the same pitch at two different heights—their frequencies differ by exactly a factor of two. Each pitch also carries two sets of names: the "address" on the sheet music and the name sung aloud.
Sound is vibration: the faster the vibration (higher frequency), the higher the pitch. Instruments worldwide standardize A at 440 Hz (vibrating 440 times per second). Click the button below to listen from low to high—pay attention to feeling the change in "height."
Try it
Key Experiment: A3 → A4 → A5 each sounds "one octave higher," yet they sound like the same note. This is because the frequency doubles exactly: 440 = 220×2, 880 = 440×2. This distance of "doubling" is called an octave. When you click "Sing Both Together," the two octaves almost merge into one—our ears naturally consider them family.
Why is it called an "eight"th? Counting from one C to the next C: C D E F G A B → C, you count exactly 8 letters. The number after the pitch name (C4, C5) is the octave number: number +1 means one octave higher.
So what is the "La" in "all La" mentioned earlier? This brings us to the two sets of names for pitches:
· Pitch Names (C D E F G A B) — the addresses on sheet music and instruments, universal worldwide; one pitch always has one address.
· Solfege (Do Re Mi Fa Sol La Si) — the names sung aloud, useful for singing pitches and remembering melodies with your ears. When teachers say "sing the score," they mean this.
The same pitch: Pitch Name A4 = Solfege La. If you hear "La," translate it to the pitch name A. Click a solfege syllable below to hear how a real person sings it:
· Pitch Names (C D E F G A B) — the addresses on sheet music and instruments, universal worldwide; one pitch always has one address.
· Solfege (Do Re Mi Fa Sol La Si) — the names sung aloud, useful for singing pitches and remembering melodies with your ears. When teachers say "sing the score," they mean this.
The same pitch: Pitch Name A4 = Solfege La. If you hear "La," translate it to the pitch name A. Click a solfege syllable below to hear how a real person sings it:
Try it
How to use the two sets of names: Use Pitch Names (the unchanging addresses) when reading scores, pressing strings, or finding positions; use Solfege when singing aloud and using your ears to remember melodies. During practice, state the solfege first, then check against the pitch name to match them up.
A preview: There are two ways to count solfege: "Fixed Do" and "Movable Do." Change the key of the same piece, and the sung solfege may differ. Don't worry; Lesson 8 covers this specifically. For now, just remember that C is sung as Do, and A is sung as La.
A preview: There are two ways to count solfege: "Fixed Do" and "Movable Do." Change the key of the same piece, and the sung solfege may differ. Don't worry; Lesson 8 covers this specifically. For now, just remember that C is sung as Do, and A is sung as La.
Below, press any keys on the keyboard to find pairs of notes that "look alike"—two notes an octave apart will have the same solfege (both C4 and C5 are sung as Do).