tuning/notation question

im not sure how to ask this so here it goes.

if i tuned my guitar to C (2 1/2 steps down i think it is) would the lowest C note be middle C (as equal to middle C on a key board)?

I -think- middle C is the (under standard tuning) 8th fret on the 6th string.

Have a look at the following ways of representing musical instrument ranges.

Some graphical ways of looking at musical ranges:
http://members.aol.com/pjay99site/Instrumentranges.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Range_(music)

Musical Instrument Ranges as they appear on the musical staff:
http://www.dolmetsch.com/musictheory29.htm

This should really be in the Music Theory section.. :)

Oh and just for the sake of keeping this thread interesting.. I'd like to present the lowest playable instrument, the Octocontrabass clarinet (read description underneath):

Above: Leblanc "paperclip" extended Bb contrabass clarinet (range to low written C, sounding Bb), and an Orsi Eb contrabass sax. Note the difference in the cylindrical bore of the clarinet, as opposed to the expanding conical bore of the saxophone. An instrument with a cylindrical bore sounds lower in proportion to its length than a conical one, so the sax has to be larger to go as low as the clarinet.

It seems hard to believe from looking at it, but this particular contra clarinet actually can go a third lower than the sax (Concert Bb vs. concert Db), thanks to several extra keys. It also has more finesse in soft passages. But the sax wins hands down for presence, power of sound, and seismic potential!

Originally Posted by: BrokenJeraif i tuned my guitar to C (2 1/2 steps down i think it is) would the lowest C note be middle C (as equal to middle C on a key board)?

The distance between E and a C lower is 4 half-steps, or 2 whole steps:
E (HS) E-flat (HS) D (HS) D-flat (HS) C

The site light487 linked show the ranges of various instruments:
http://members.aol.com/pjay99site/Instrumentranges.htm

It should be pointed out that the image shows the actual pitch of the guitar. It extends down to the E on the first ledger line below the bass clef. In order to place the notes of the guitar entirely on the treble clef, for easier reading, guitar notation is traditionally written an octave higher. So we get this as "middle C" in standard transposed notation:

E |-----|
B |-----|
G |-----|
D |-----|
A |--3--|
E |-----|

The result of this is that "middle C" on a piano played as it actually sounds on the guitar is the note at the first fret of the B string:

E |-----|
B |--1--|
G |-----|
D |-----|
A |-----|
E |-----|


thanks for the replys.

i was reading a piano book right before bed last night and i realized that middle c is higher than the low e in standard tuning. so the whole post is a big bust.

now lets try this.

i am trying to translate nocturine opus no 9 by chopin to a playable guitar tab. iknow i wont beable to play the whole thing without moving up a few octives or tuning my guitar low. so can you give me any help?

Originally Posted by: BrokenJerathanks for the replys.

i was reading a piano book right before bed last night and i realized that middle c is higher than the low e in standard tuning. so the whole post is a big bust.

now lets try this.

i am trying to translate nocturine opus no 9 by chopin to a playable guitar tab. iknow i wont beable to play the whole thing without moving up a few octives or tuning my guitar low. so can you give me any help?

Hi Broken,

I'd suggest, possibly, instead of transcribing the piano music in the same key, write the tab that "fits" the guitar, and the limits of the range. I don't know this particular piece (maybe if I heard it), but I've learned pieces originally written for piano, and given that the piano has...a 5 octave range (?), you may have to "cheat" a bit and possibly tab certain parts an octave lower. As long as you get the essence of the tune. Hope this helps a bit. I googled for tabs for nocturne for the guitar, and one tab had you capo the guitar at the 5th fret, so maybe you wont have to retune your guitar (and possibly throw the intonation out of whack). Have fun. I hate tabbing. If you're not doing this as an exercise for yourself, and simply want the tab, there's plenty of tabs out there, and there a great free program called power tabs. Google the tune you want, then add 'power tab' at the end; chances are, you'll get the power tab (don't forget to download the PT program). Oh, I just found the PT for it here- http://www.tabscout.com/guitartab/vqtIx65@/Nocturne%20Op.%209%20No.%202/

Just don't forget the power tab program though! The sound is midi, and sounds kind of cheesy, but hey, it's free.

im actually doing this beacuse im trying to learn how to read standard notation. other wise i would have just looked up the tab for it.

Originally Posted by: BrokenJeraim actually doing this beacuse im trying to learn how to read standard notation. other wise i would have just looked up the tab for it.

Cool! Good luck. I can read music, but can't sight read. It's only taken me over 30 years to realize how much I've missed by not properly learning theory, etc. You def. will benefit by it.