[Dixielandjazz] The mystery of B Flat

[Ministry of Jazz]

Shalom Jazz Fans,

Not that it matters much, but I must be feeling intellectual this morning
since I feel like responding to this thread. Either that or I have too much
time on my hands.

I have been afraid to try to do the math, but I have a hard time conceiving
of a musical "note" 57 octaves below middle C. Given that A 440 is in the
octave above middle C, then the adjacent Bb would be around 470 or so cycles
per second. Each octave below that would vibrate at half the frequency of
the preceding one. So to divide 470 in half 57 times would seem to me to
yield a note that vibrates at less than 1 cycle per .. uh .. month ... year
... whatever. Hard to believe such a note could even be measured, much less
heard.

But then again, maybe if the universe really does say "o-o-o-o-o-m", it is
singing it in Bb. Does that make those of us who play Bb instruments more
spiritual?

Elazar "The Reverend Doctor Jazz"
Dr. Jazz Dixieland Band
Tekiya Trumpet Ensemble
Jerusalem, Israel
www.israel.net/ministry-of-jazz
+972-2-679-2537