Is Ab the same NOTE as G#? [Practical consequences of music theory]
Is Ab the same note as G#? This is one of the questions in music theory that nobody seems to answer in a clear way, even if the answer must be just yes or no.
I will tell you the answer immediately: Ab is not the same note as G#. Yes, these two notes have the exact same pitch (frequency), at least in the equal temperament commonly used today, but this does not mean that they are the same note.
In jargon, these two notes are 'enharmonic equivalent', but the difference between the notes has very practical consequences when you use them in your music.
In this video we'll see why these two notes are different, and we will also understand why musicians are so particular in using sharps or flats when spelling out scales and chords (it turns out that there is a practical reason for that!)
Have fun watching the video here:
Also, if you like the chord progressions you hear in this video, you can find more interesting progressions that go out of key in this video too:
And if after that you want more, if you want to really understand the LOGIC behind chord progressions and how to make them sound good, if you want to understand all the little missing pieces that nobody explained you but that really make the difference in your music, then check out the Complete Chord Mastery course: it's everything you wanted and something more.
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