What's an Octave (guitar)?

Answer 1

In music, an octave (sometimes abbreviated 8ve or 8va) is the interval between one musical note and another with half or double the frequency.

After the unison, the octave is the simplest interval in music. The human ear tends to hear both notes as being essentially "the same". For this reason, notes an octave apart are given the same note name in the Western system of music notation—the name of a note an octave above A is also A. This is called octave equivalency, and is closely related to the concept of harmonics. This is similar to enharmonic equivalency, and less so transpositional equivalency and, less still, inversional equivalency, the latter two of which are generally used only in musical set theory or atonal theory. Thus all C#s, or all 1s (if C=0), in any octave are part of the same pitch class. Octave equivalency is a part of most musics, but is far from universal in "primitive" and early music (e.g., Nettl, 1956; Sachs & Kunst, 1962). Also monkeys experience octave equivalency, and its biological basis apparently is an octave mapping of neurons in the auditory thalamus of the mammalian brain As well as being used to describe the relationship between two notes, the word is also used when speaking of a range of notes that fall between a pair an octave apart. In the diatonic scale, this is 8 notes if one counts both ends, hence the name "octave", from Italian for 8. In the chromatic scale, this is 13 notes counting both ends, although traditionally, one speaks of 12 notes of the chromatic scale, not counting both ends. Other scales may have a different number of notes covering the range of an octave, such as the Arabic classical scale with 17, 19, or even 24 notes, but the word "octave" is still used.

In terms of playing an instrument, "octave" may also mean a special effect involving playing two notes that are an octave apart at the same time. This effect may have to be created by the musician. However, some instruments are purposely tuned or designed to produce this effect, for example, the twelve-string guitar and the octave harmonica.

In most Western music, the octave is divided into 12 semitones (see musical tuning). These semitones are usually equally spaced out in a method known as equal temperament.

The notation 8va is sometimes seen in sheet music, meaning "play this an octave higher than written." 8va stands for ottava, the Italian word for octave. Sometimes 8va will also be used to indicate a passage is to be played an octave lower, although the similar notation 8vb (ottava bassa) is more common. Similarly, 15ma (quindicesima) means "play two octaves higher than written." Coll'ottava means to play the passage in octaves. Any of these directions can be cancelled with the word loco, but often a dashed line or bracket indicates the extent of the music affected.

Answer 2

It's the interval between two notes where the frequency doubles. Two different notes with the same name (letter) are at least one octave apart.

On the guitar, the note you get when holding down on the twelfth fret is one octave higher than when you pluck the open string.

(Why 12 steps if it's called an octave? Octave refers to 8 whole steps, the 12 includes the half steps (sharps and flats) in between.)

Answer 3

An 'Octave Guitar' is a small steel string guitar tuned one octave above a standard guitar. The size is similar to a mandolin or ukulele, with a total body length of 24 inches, a scale length of 14 inches, and a maximum width of only 8 inches.They feature sixteen frets, with a 35.5cm scale length.

For a detailed picture, see:

http://www.larkinam.com/product.asp?pn=GUI001

As regards what constitutes an actual musical octave, other respondents have done an admirable job in detailing that, therefore Ms. Teak will not practice redundancies and defer to their explanations for your perusal.


Musically,

Ms. Teak

Answer 4

like say you're doing a C chord. now someone says go and octave below. you would then do a C eight notes below a regular C. it's usually used to play harmony. anything and octave below or above can match the original melody.

Answer 5

It's the same with any kinds of instrument. But if you meant "octave guitar," then I have never heard of it.

Answer 6

octave meance to round of notes.. it consited with 13 notes. in magor chords it has 7 pure tune and rest of are soft tune

Answer 7

I think its the same as on a Saxophone. Its eight notes higher from one scale to the next. Hence the term Oct - (eight)