international pitch
- noun
- /ˌɪntəˈnæʃənl pɪtʃ/
- Specialized
:
tónica internacional
- All orchestras tuned their instruments to international pitch before the concert began.
Examples
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Many pianos are calibrated to international pitch for consistency across performances.
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The adoption of international pitch allowed musicians from different countries to play together more easily.
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The international pitch is crucial!
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Can you explain what international pitch is?
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All orchestras tuned their instruments to international pitch before the concert began.
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Many pianos are calibrated to international pitch for consistency across performances.
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The adoption of international pitch allowed musicians from different countries to play together more easily.
Synonyms
A standard note that instruments tune to, usually the A above middle C at 440 Hz
A standard musical note used to tune instruments, usually the A above middle C at 440 hertz
Surface Forms
Morphology
The components 'international' and 'pitch' allow a learner to infer a pitch that is used across countries, so the general idea of a standardized, widely used pitch is reasonably predictable. However, the specific technical sense — that it refers to the concert‑tuning standard (typically A=440 Hz) used for instrument tuning — is specialized and not fully derivable from the parts, making the term partially but not completely transparent to a B1 learner.
Etymology
International pitch comes from a practical need: musicians wanted instruments from different places to sound the same. Long ago, groups used different 'A' notes and did not match, so musicians agreed on one standard 'A' set to 440, and that's why international pitch means the shared standard tone used to tune instruments.
