Why are D-sharp and E-flat considered to be two different notes?

Re:Why are D-sharp and E-flat considered to be two different... by pclmulqdq on Sunday August 28, 2022 @10:16AM (#32628550)

Several orchestras use different A's around 440, and nobody is getting prosecuted. 441 and 442 are popular right now, although some go as low as 438.

In baroque music, ~430 and 415 are also very common since they are thought to be the historical pitches of "A"

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Re:Why are D-sharp and E-flat considered to be two different... by colomon on Sunday August 28, 2022 @02:06PM (#32630501)

Friends recorded this album --https://alisonperkinsandnicolasbrown.bandcamp.com/album/all-... -- with A somewhere in the neighborhood of 360Hz.

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Re:Why are D-sharp and E-flat considered to be two different... by coldtea on Sunday August 28, 2022 @02:14PM (#32630582)

360Hz?

That's so low, it's more like playing the piece a three semitones lower than an alternate choice for A4.

If the piece was in A, it would be more like playing it in F# (while still using A=440).

(Of course if you did that, the "sweet-spots of 12TET and its off-notes would be different, than if you played with A=360)

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Re:Why are D-sharp and E-flat considered to be two different... by pclmulqdq on Sunday August 28, 2022 @03:14PM (#32631147)

Some late baroque-period harpsichords had a selectable A: you could chose ~430, ~410, or ~390. The adjustment came from sliding the keyboards to the left or right based on which A you wanted. Supposedly A = 390 or even lower was used by the French in the renaissance, so you wanted your harpsichord to be able to accurately play historical music.

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