Why are there 12 notes?
Love Music More · hosted by Luke F. Walton (Scoobert Doobert) · Solo episode
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Topics discussed
Host note
Why does Western music have 12 notes? I trace it back to Pythagoras and his 3:2 ratio, the "perfect fifth": stack that ratio twelve times and you land almost exactly back where you started, which is the whole reason we ended up with 12.
I walk through the math with actual notes so it's audible, not abstract, and then get into why the system is mostly arbitrary: it's the tuning that stuck because the culture that used it spread. I also make the case for paying attention to the perfect octave as a more inclusive way into music beyond the standard 12, and set up where the show goes next: how those notes actually work together in harmony.
Selected moments
- Pythagoras and Musical Notes 0:01 I discuss why we only have 12 musical notes in western music, emphasizing that it's entirely arbitrary.
- Perfect Fifth Concept 1:30 I explain the mathematical ratio of the perfect fifth and demonstrate it with musical notes.
- Cyclic Nature of Fifths 3:47 I recap how we get those 12 notes by progressing through perfect fifths.
- Exploring Octaves 3:03 I suggest focusing on perfect octaves for a more inclusive view of music beyond the standard 12 notes.
- Cultural Arbitrary Nature of 12 Notes 7:35 I argue that the concept of 12 notes is somewhat arbitrary and shaped by historical context.
- Music Beyond the Twelve 8:22 I preview upcoming episodes about how notes can work together in harmony.
Selected excerpts
So yeah, for real, we're actually going to talk about why we only have 12 notes in western music.
Just naming something perfect definitely gives it a lot of weight. The reason why he was so into it was it was a mathematical ratio of three to two.
So Pythagoras said three to two ratio. Let's keep that up and start stacking notes.
We're back at A. We reached the same place that we took off from. And so that's why we end up having 12 notes.
It's mostly just arbitrary. It's just because that group of people conquered most of the world.
It's not like we had to. It's not like we go see aliens and they're going to be listening to pop songs with power chords, which is a root and a perfect fifth.
FAQ
Why are there 12 notes in music?
The twelve notes in Western music stem from arbitrary historical choices rather than some universal truth. This episode examines the mathematical and cultural origins of this system.
What is the perfect fifth in music?
The perfect fifth is a musical interval defined by a frequency ratio of 3:2, significantly influencing Western music.
Who was Pythagoras and how did he influence music?
Pythagoras was a Greek philosopher whose exploration of the relationship between numbers and musical harmony laid the groundwork for understanding musical intervals.
These pages are host notes, not a full transcript. The episode itself is on the listen links above.