concert pitch
- noun
- /ˈkɒn.sɜrt pɪtʃ/
- Specialized
:
tónica de concierto
- In order to join the orchestra, all musicians must tune their instruments to the same concert pitch of A440.
Examples
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Students can be given the concert pitch of a beginning tone and then perform familiar pentatonic melodic patterns on their instruments.
Academic text (1992) -
If a steel band program does not have instruments that play in tune and match concert pitch, it will be relegated to playing a novelty role in the curriculum.
Academic text (1995) -
This practice is often confusing to a student with visual impairments who has learned in concert pitch.
Academic text (2005) -
Band and orchestra teachers must be aware that many music students with vision impairments learn their instruments in concert pitch, not in transposed pitch.
Academic text (2005) -
One technique that works well with both vocal and instrumental pieces is to record the student's parts on cassette tape in concert pitch from the print music or score, then record the entire piece being rehearsed either during live rehearsal or from any demo CD, MP3 file, or tape.
Academic text (2005) -
The conductor reminded the ensemble to check their instruments to ensure they were set at the proper concert pitch before starting the performance.
-
During rehearsal, the music teacher emphasized the importance of playing in concert pitch to achieve a harmonious sound.
Synonyms
A standard note for tuning instruments where the A above middle C is 440
A standard musical note used to tune instruments, usually the A above middle C at 440 hertz
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly and compositionally derived from 'concert' (a musical performance) + 'pitch' (the perceived highness/lowness of sound); a B1 learner who knows both constituents can infer it refers to the pitch used for performances or standard tuning. This is a predictable noun–noun compound specifying the kind of pitch, so the relation is transparent.
Etymology
Concert pitch comes from the simple scene of a piano or tuning fork sounding one note so all the musicians tune to the same sound before a performance; concert here means 'together' and pitch is the note they tune to. So, concert pitch now means 'the standard pitch' used for a performance.
