Pitch

Contents

Key Stage 2

Meaning

Pitch is how high or low a note sounds.

Singular Noun: Pitch

Plural Noun: Pitches

The sound of a mouse's squeak is very high pitched.	A tuba makes a deep or low pitched sound.

About Pitch

The pitch of an instrument can be affected by:

• Size of the instrument
• Thickness of strings
• Length of Strings
• Tightness of Strings

Size

The size of an instrument can affect the pitch. Bigger instruments make a lower pitch sound.

A small 'soprano' saxophone makes a high pitched sound.	An 'alto' saxophone makes the second highest pitch.	A tenor saxophone makes the second lowest pitch.	A large 'bass' saxophone makes a low pitched sound.

Thickness of Strings

Thicker strings make lower pitched sounds.

A regular guitar has thin strings and can make high pitched sounds.	A 'bass' guitar has thick strings and makes low pitched sounds.

Length of Strings

The shorter the strings, the higher pitched a sound.

The shorter strings on a harp make a higher pitched sound.

Tightness of Strings

The tighter the strings the higher pitched the sound.

The pegs on the end of a stringed instrument can make the strings tighter or looser.