Piano Forum

Piano Street Magazine:
When Practice Stagnates – Breaking the Performance Ceiling: Robotic Training for Pianists

“Practice makes perfect” is a familiar mantra for pianists, yet true perfection remains elusive. Research suggests that a robotic exoskeleton could assist pianists during the practice phase in increasing speed in difficult passages by overcoming the well-known “ceiling effect”. Read more

Topic: Sometimes I see a C flat in notations..  (Read 1875 times)

Offline riwa

  • PS Silver Member
  • Newbie
  • ***
  • Posts: 15
Sometimes I see a C flat in notations..
on: August 30, 2012, 11:53:00 AM
Im just finding as much sheets as possible to read just for practice. Occasionally I find something that looks wrong. I've been assuming it was made by an amateur but this piece by Steely dan starts with a C flat note. How is it supposed to be interpreted?

https://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtdFPE.asp?ppn=MN0089308

Offline outin

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 8211
Re: Sometimes I see a C flat in notations..
Reply #1 on: August 30, 2012, 12:01:26 PM
It just means you play the B, which you would otherwise play B-flat because of the key.

Offline iansinclair

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 1472
Re: Sometimes I see a C flat in notations..
Reply #2 on: August 30, 2012, 01:36:12 PM
Not really that uncommon.  It's usually done to clarify in the writing a harmonic relationship of some kind.  Although it can be a bit confusing at first...
Ian

Offline counterpoint

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 2003
Re: Sometimes I see a C flat in notations..
Reply #3 on: August 30, 2012, 04:00:03 PM
For example.

the A flat major chord consist of Ab C and Eb

The A flat minor chord consists of Ab Cb and Eb
If it doesn't work - try something different!

Offline werq34ac

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 720
Re: Sometimes I see a C flat in notations..
Reply #4 on: August 30, 2012, 10:50:39 PM
Harmonically, Cb makes a lot more sense than B natural in this case. Especially since this is a D9 chord. It wouldn't be a D9 chord without that flat 7th and keep in mind that it is a flat 7th instead of an extended 6th.
Ravel Jeux D'eau
Brahms 118/2
Liszt Concerto 1
Rachmaninoff/Kreisler Liebesleid

Offline riwa

  • PS Silver Member
  • Newbie
  • ***
  • Posts: 15
Re: Sometimes I see a C flat in notations..
Reply #5 on: August 31, 2012, 10:11:55 AM
Thanks for clarification.
For more information about this topic, click search below!

Piano Street Magazine:
New Piano Piece by Chopin Discovered – Free Piano Score

A previously unknown manuscript by Frédéric Chopin has been discovered at New York’s Morgan Library and Museum. The handwritten score is titled “Valse” and consists of 24 bars of music in the key of A minor and is considered a major discovery in the wold of classical piano music. Read more
 

Logo light pianostreet.com - the website for classical pianists, piano teachers, students and piano music enthusiasts.

Subscribe for unlimited access

Sign up

Follow us

Piano Street Digicert
Customer Reviews