LexBrew
Usage Entry 1470 / 1605 60-second read

Octave vs. Pitch

The interval of doubling frequency versus the perceived highness/lowness of a note.

The comparisoni

✗ Wrong

A high octave is a high pitch.

✓ Correct

A high OCTAVE is one octave higher (double frequency). PITCH is the more general term for highness/lowness. Different concepts.

The ruleii

OCTAVE = 2× frequency. PITCH = highness.

PITCH: how high or low a note sounds (frequency-based). OCTAVE: a specific interval where frequency doubles (A4 = 440 Hz, A5 = 880 Hz — one octave higher). Notes one octave apart sound "the same" because of frequency doubling.

Memory aidiii

Remember it like this

Octave = doubled.

You might also like 6 related
↑↓Navigate Open EscClose All results →