B♭ (musical note)

For other uses, see B-flat.

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♯.

When calculated in equal temperament with a reference of A above middle C as 440 Hz, the frequency of the B♭ above middle C is approximately 466.164 Hz. See pitch (music) for a discussion of historical variations in frequency.

While orchestras tune to an A provided by the oboist, wind ensembles usually tune to a B-flat provided by a tuba, horn, or clarinet.

In Germany, Russia, Poland and Scandinavia this pitch is designated B, with 'H' used to designate the B-natural. Since the 1990s, B flat is often denoted Bb or "Bess" instead of B in Swedish music textbooks. Natural B is called B by Swedish jazz and pop musicians, but still denoted H in classical music. See B (musical note) for an explanation.

Designation by octave

Scientific designation Helmholtz designation Bilinear music notation Octave name Frequency (Hz)
B♭-1 B♭͵͵͵ or ͵͵͵B♭ or BBBB♭ (-uB♭) Subsubcontra 14.568
B♭0 B♭͵͵ or ͵͵B♭ or BBB♭ (-vB♭) Subcontra 29.135
B♭1 B♭͵ or ͵B♭ or BB♭ (-wB♭) Contra 58.270
B♭2 B♭ (-xB♭) Great 116.541
B♭3 b♭ (-yB♭) Small 233.082
B♭4 b♭′ (zB♭) One-lined 466.164
B♭5 b♭′′ (yB♭) Two-lined 932.328
B♭6 b♭′′′ (xB♭) Three-lined 1864.655
B♭7 b♭′′′′ (wB♭) Four-lined 3729.310
B♭8 b♭′′′′′ (vB♭}) Five-lined 7458.620
B♭9 b♭′′′′′′ (uB♭) Six-lined 14917.240
B♭10 b♭′′′′′′′ (tB♭) Seven-lined 29834.481

Scales

Common scales beginning on B♭

Diatonic scales

Jazz Melodic Minor

See also

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