Why are there 12 notes?
Love Music More · hosted by Luke F. Walton (Scoobert Doobert) · Solo episode
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Host note
In this solo episode, I delve into the intriguing question of why there are 12 musical notes in Western music. I explore the concept's roots, tracing back to Pythagoras and his fascinating ideas about sound as mathematics. The episode examines how this seemingly arbitrary system shapes our perception of music and the implications of focusing solely on the perfect fifth.
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.
Curated notes only — no public transcript. Listen on the links above.