Editing Music theory (section)

===Pitch===
{{Main|Pitch (music)}}
[[File:Middle C.png|thumb|Middle C (261.626&nbsp;Hz)[[File:Middle C.mid]]]]
Pitch is the lowness or highness of a [[Musical tone|tone]], for example the difference between [[middle C]] and a higher C. The frequency of the sound waves producing a pitch can be measured precisely, but the perception of pitch is more complex because single notes from natural sources are usually a complex mix of many frequencies. Accordingly, theorists often describe pitch as a subjective sensation rather than an objective measurement of sound.{{sfn|Hartmann|2005|loc={{Page needed|date=August 2014}}}}

Specific frequencies are often assigned letter names. Today most orchestras assign [[concert A]] (the A above [[middle C]] on the piano) to the frequency of 440&nbsp;Hz. This assignment is somewhat arbitrary; for example, in 1859 France, the same A was tuned to 435&nbsp;Hz. Such differences can have a noticeable effect on the timbre of instruments and other phenomena. Thus, in [[historically informed performance]] of older music, tuning is often set to match the tuning used in the period when it was written. Additionally, many cultures do not attempt to standardize pitch, often considering that it should be allowed to vary depending on genre, style, mood, etc.

The difference in pitch between two notes is called an [[interval (music)|interval]]. The most basic interval is the [[unison]], which is simply two notes of the same pitch. The [[octave]] interval is two pitches that are either double or half the frequency of one another. The unique characteristics of octaves gave rise to the concept of [[pitch class]]: pitches of the same letter name that occur in different octaves may be grouped into a single "class" by ignoring the difference in octave. For example, a high C and a low C are members of the same pitch class—the class that contains all C's.{{Sfn|Bartlette and Laitz|2010|loc={{Page needed|date=October 2014}}}}

[[Musical tuning]] systems, or temperaments, determine the precise size of intervals. Tuning systems vary widely within and between world cultures. In [[Western culture]], there have long been several competing tuning systems, all with different qualities. Internationally, the system known as [[equal temperament]] is most commonly used today because it is considered the most satisfactory compromise that allows instruments of fixed tuning (e.g. the piano) to sound acceptably in tune in all keys.