Help understanding this diatonic scale

[imcool]

hello,
This is first time I stumbled about diatonic table in my life. I googled a lot but I couldnt find answer for following,
the table mentioned in the book I am reading, I dont get it that Where did this A# G# F# D# C # come from in this diatnoic table ?
This is text written in the book for the table :
"" First, the octave consists of seven different tones (i.e. gaps between notes), but only five semi-tones. Hence, two semi-tones are missing – namely, those between E and F and between B and CHI (see Table 7-1). In the terminology of the tonic sol-fa, progress upwards through the octave is retarded between Me and Fa, and between Ti and DoHI.

Second, and in another way of making the same point, there are seven points of potential change in vibration between the eight notes in the octave – namely C-D, D-E, E-F, F-G, G-A, A-B, and B-CHI. In Table 7-1, the vibrations are given in column 6 as ratios, with the rate of vibration of the note C as the numeraire. The difference between ratios, upwards through the octave, is retarded at E-F and at B-CHI. ""
Please help me understanding that table.
Regards

 

[lungimsam]

I am not sure what you are asking but I guess they are trying to say that there are 12 notes in an octave. C, C#, D,D#, E,F,F# etc.
On a guitar, take your index finger and start playing on C and go up the neck one fret (or semi-tone) at a time and you will see it. It’s an arbitrary note naming system they came up with so musicians could communicate effectively with each other.

The tones that are dubbed "natural" have no notation like "#" attached to them. The notes that fall a semi-tone (or half-tone, half-step, one-fret, etc.) away from them are notated with the symbol #, when you are playing guitar and moving one fret towards the guitar body/higher in pitch (causing the string to vibrate faster, which is perceived by the human organism as a higher pitch). The notation "b" is used when moving lower in pitch. This table only addresses the "#" scenario of rising in pitch. However, curiously, E and F and B and C are not selected to have a "#" or "b" between them. Again, this is an arbitrary decision made by whoever developed the 12 tone system of music. To the ear and the heart, it makes musical sense when heard by a human. To the intellect, it doesn't make sense and it is just an arbitrary naming system musicians have been given to communicate with. So that when I say, "play a C#", you will know exactly which of the 12 tones I am talking about.

Solfa is just another arbitrary naming system of the natural notes in a 12 note scale, but with words, not letters.

As far as an explanation of the chart goes, it shows the name of the natural notes of the 12 tone scale in the note column, the semitones of the 12 tone scale in the semi-tone column, the name of the note in the solfa naming system in the Tonic solfa column, and the other columns show the rate of vibrations (ex: how many times a guitar string moves back and forth per second) in the cycles per second column. Difference, ratio, and difference columns show that vibration's relation to the vibrations of the c note.

 

[Brad Little]

As far as an explanation of the chart goes, it shows the name of the natural notes of the 12 tone scale in the note column, the semitones of the 12 tone scale in the semi-tone column, the name of the note in the solfa naming system in the Tonic solfa column, and the other columns show the rate of vibrations (ex: how many times a guitar string moves back and forth per second) in the cycles per second column. Difference, ratio, and difference columns show that vibration's relation to the vibrations of the c note.

To put it another way, a diatonic scale includes all the notes in an octave. In your diagram, it might be clearer if you think of the notes in the LH column as the white keys on a piano and the ones in the column to its right as the black keys. White keys from C to C are what we hear as a major scale.

 

[walrus]

walrus

 

[Cougar]

....the book I am reading.... This is text written in the book for the table....

Sheesh. I think I'd get a new book.

 

[fronobulax]

To put it another way, a diatonic scale includes all the notes in an octave. In your diagram, it might be clearer if you think of the notes in the LH column as the white keys on a piano and the ones in the column to its right as the black keys. White keys from C to C are what we hear as a major scale.

+1, at least until there are follow on questions.

I would say that most of the right half of the table is of academic interest at most for someone who is just trying to play music.

You might want to be reminded that some notes have two names - enharmonic. A C sharp is also a D flat. And E sharp is F natural.

Adjacent keys on a piano are half a step apart. Adjacent frets on a guitar are also half a step.

 

[Stuball48]

And I thought Barre Chords were a challenge.

 

[Brad Little]

Also, if this is a book about music, A=426.666 would seem to be about Baroque (or another early) era. Conversely, might be about use of forks in some other discipline (I think some healing regimens).