Question
#1
In the theory section, on the constructing
major scales page, on the answers page..., I found answer
to the Gb major scale shown as: Gb Ab Bb Cb Db Eb F Gb I thought
that there was no such thing as a Cb note, shouldn't that be a
B instead?
Answer
Actually there is a Cb, it just sounds exactly like a B. In a
Gb major scale it is written as a Cb When you are spelling a Gb
major scale you would not want to write it like this (Gb Ab Bb
B Db Eb F Gb), you want every letter represented. So instead of
B, you would write Cb Also if you look at the F# major scale (
F# G# A# B C# D# E# F#) there is an E# for the same reason. When
a note sounds the same but is spelled different, the notes are
called enharmonic (same note just called two different names).
This is the same for C# Db, F# Gb etc., they are the exact same
note, just written differently. What name you call a note by depends
on the context. For example a Gb major and F# major scale are
really just the same notes but they are "spelled" different. Most
of the time when you are playing, or just naming notes on the
fretboard there is not a good reason to call a note Cb,B#,Fb,
or E#. But in music theory, in the context of specific chords
and scales, it makes a difference.
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