Contra
(KOHN-trah)


[It.]

  1. Low, under.
  2. Under the Helmholtz Octave Designation System, a name applied to the octave which extends from C1 two octaves below the bass clef staff to B1 one octave below the bass clef staff. The notes are indicated by uppercase letters with the subscript "1" (C1, D1, E1, F1, G1, A1, and B1).

    This octave can also be designated with two uppercase letter (i.e. CC) or in the 1st octave under Acoustical Society of America system (i.e. C1). The MIDI Octave Designation System has two versions, one where note 1 (8.176 Hz) is octave "0" making the Contra octave the second octave (i.e. C2), and the other with note 1 (8.176 Hz) at octave "-2" making the Contra octave the fundamental octave (i.e. C0).

    The indication 8vb (shown below) can be used to represent the same pitches without as many ledger lines.

Contra

Play Contra Octave Example (MIDI file format)
More about octave designations - More about pitch
| Dictionary Home | Dictionary Appendix |