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Music

Normally I find Wiki a quick way to learn about something that I have no idea about (at least as a starting point). But this time I was presented with the opposite; having played the clarinet for 5 years I knew what B flat was. However, Wiki’s definition challenged my modest brain matter.

B (B-flat; also called si bémol) is the eleventh semitone of the Western chromatic scale (starting from C). It lies a diatonic semitone above A and a chromatic semitone below B, thus being enharmonic to A although in some musical tunings, B will have a different sounding pitch than A.

6 Comments

  • Jenny Martin says:

    I ADORE this Marti!!! I sing in a choir (have for decades) and will think of this every time I sing a B flat from now on 🙂

    • Marti says:

      Wow, wouldn’t have picked you as a choir singer.

      Just quietly, rather impressed with anyone who can sing, let alone, tune their voice to deliver a specific note, such as b flat. I guess that’s why I learnt the clarinet; all I had to do was select fingers and blow and hopefully a b flat came out.

      • Jen Martin says:

        Do you still play clarinet Marti? I played the bassoon at school but haven’t touched one for years.

        • Marti says:

          I must admit Jen, you are full of surprises; you don’t look like a bassoon kind of girl. Mmm, the clarinet. Perhaps a sad tale with a happy ending… As a child I wanted to learn the saxophone, but for various (ill informed) reasons, my parents had me learn the clarinet. Then my clarinet teacher said I shouldn’t take up a second instrument (saxophone) until I’d reached 5th grade clarinet. So that became my mission. Five years later success (passed fifth grade); by which stage I had lost total interest and gave up all instruments. So the good news, I hear you ask… My daughter is learning the saxophone and I now practice side by side with her.

  • Seeker says:

    I am flatter than this bee. You scored again in your creativity. Can you read notes?

    • Marti says:

      Well, if you are referring to your singing voice, have no fear, you’re in good company with myself – I’m flat as a tack…oh, Bee I mean 🙂

      Yes, I can read notes. I learnt clarinet for 5 years.