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Topic: double f sharp (Read 6217 times) previous topic - next topic

double f sharp

i'm a musician  but i still dont get the double sharp becaus it still
does not make sense

Re: double f sharp

Reply #1 –
I think it's mainly a presentation thing.

For instance in F# major, you have both F# and G#.  Lets say you want to play the pitches F#, G#, Gnat, G#, you would write F, G, Gnat, G#, so you would have 2 accidentals to read.  If you just wrote F, G, Fx,G, you would get the same pitches, but the score only shows one accidental -- it's cleaner and less complex particularly as you crowd more notes into a bar.

Re: double f sharp

Reply #2 –
You use Fx in G# minor (instead of a G nat) for the same reason that you use B# in C# minor (instead of a C nat).

That way the written interval of a second is preserved. otherwise the interval would appear to be an augmented unison

Re: double f sharp

Reply #3 –
If you don't use double-sharps, some chords won't look right. For example, take B major. The chord is spelled, B D# F#. Why not B Eb, F#? Because then it would appear as a diminished fourth and an augmented second, rather than a major third and minor third. Now, suppose we want a B augmented chord. To form an augmented chord, we raise the 5th of the major chord by a half-step. You might be tempted to call this B D# G, but then we would have a major third and a diminished fourth, instead of two major thirds. Therefore we use B D# Fx instead. Interestingly, a G augmented chord SOUNDS the same as a B augmented chord, but is written without the Fx. So does an Eb augmented chord.

Re: double f sharp

Reply #4 –
Not playing chording instruments, I've never had to read or use chords.  It never occurred to me that the visual appearance of the chord would be important.  Cool.

Re: double f sharp

Reply #5 –
And then there's the sound difference between enharmonics. They may be the same on a piano, but you can play anything you like on a violin, and when singing barbershop it's very important to sing chords that sound EXACTLY right (or you would never have a true 'ringing chord'). The difference in pitch is, for instance, 5/3. You can approximate by saying (as Bach did in 'Das Wohltemperierte Klavier) 'well, there is exactly a factor 2 in an octave, and there are 12 semitones to the octave, so that's, um, 2 ** (1/12) for a semitone. For ALL semitones. But in true harmonics, things are not that 'easy'...

Want to know more? Check here: Harmony and Melody

Rob.
 

Re: double f sharp

Reply #6 –
Whoops. I gave you the construction of 'equal temperament', there, which differs from Bach's 'well temperament'. This link makes good reading indeed.