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GMC Forum > Discussion Boards > VINTAGE GMC > Community Activities and Tutorials > Ask an Instructor > Ramiro Delforte > Theory (Ramiro)
Ramiro Delforte
I'm going to bring some information about the double flat and double sharp notes.
These double alterations are enharmonic names of other notes.

Double flats

Cbb = Bb or A#
Dbb = C
Ebb = D
Fbb = Eb or D#
Gbb = F
Abb = G
Bbb = A

Double sharps (The simbol of the double sharp is like a cross, here I'm going to use two numerals instead)

C## = D
D## = E
E## = F# or Gb
F## = G
G## = A
A## = G
B## = C# or Db

So now you can see that the double alterations are the same note but with another name. This theory is useful when you have a scale like G# major.

G# A# B# C# D# E# F## G#

This scale is exactly the same as Ab major

Ab Bb C Db Eb F G Ab

Usually you'll be using the Ab scale and avoid the G#, but that doesn't matter. The theory to make the G# uses a double alteration. Let's see other example but with a double flat: Fb major.

Fb Gb Ab Bbb Cb Db Eb Fb

This scale is exactly the same as E

E F# G# A B C# D# E

The explanation to the construction of chords with double alteration is simple too.
Imagine you want to build an augmented chord from C.
So I imagine everybody knows that the answer would be C- E- G# (root- major third- augmented fifth)
Now, I want to build an augmented triad but this time starting on C#.
The answer would be C#- E#- G## (root- major third- augmented fifth). The trick is here. Some of you could think "oh! but the G## is an A". That's true but the name A corresponds to the sixth of C so in that case it would be the minor sixth (C#- A) and not the augmented fifth (C#- G##). So the notes are the same but they are named different.

I wish that will help you to understand the double alterations.
I posted this information because Enforcer told me that there wasn't a post about this theme. I hope this serves to everybody.

Be free to ask any questions about.
Good luck.
biggrin.gif




enforcer
QUOTE (Ramiro Delforte @ Jan 7 2009, 07:33 AM) *
I'm going to bring some information about the double flat and double sharp notes.
These double alterations are enharmonic names of other notes.

Double flats

Cbb = Bb or A#
Dbb = C
Ebb = D
Fbb = Eb or D#
Gbb = F
Abb = G
Bbb = A

Double sharps (The simbol of the double sharp is like a cross, here I'm going to use two numerals instead)

C## = D
D## = E
E## = F# or Gb
F## = G
G## = A
A## = G
B## = C# or Db

So now you can see that the double alterations are the same note but with another name. This theory is useful when you have a scale like G# major.

G# A# B# C# D# E# F## G#

This scale is exactly the same as Ab major

Ab Bb C Db Eb F G Ab

Usually you'll be using the Ab scale and avoid the G#, but that doesn't matter. The theory to make the G# uses a double alteration. Let's see other example but with a double flat: Fb major.

Fb Gb Ab Bbb Cb Db Eb Fb

This scale is exactly the same as E

E F# G# A B C# D# E

The explanation to the construction of chords with double alteration is simple too.
Imagine you want to build an augmented chord from C.
So I imagine everybody knows that the answer would be C- E- G# (root- major third- augmented fifth)
Now, I want to build an augmented triad but this time starting on C#.
The answer would be C#- E#- G## (root- major third- augmented fifth). The trick is here. Some of you could think "oh! but the G## is an A". That's true but the name A corresponds to the sixth of C so in that case it would be the minor sixth (C#- A) and not the augmented fifth (C#- G##). So the notes are the same but they are named different.

I wish that will help you to understand the double alterations.
I posted this information because Enforcer told me that there wasn't a post about this theme. I hope this serves to everybody.

Be free to ask any questions about.
Good luck.
biggrin.gif



Thank you man, that lesson surely enlightened a very mistery about the music theory for me, and I am glad you clarified that. It wasn't hard, but its always hard when you dont know it biggrin.gif

Before this lesson I was using G and G# in the same scale notation and I see now that was incorrect.

glad I asked that question laugh.gif




Gabriel Leopardi
yes, it's true. This is very helpfull Ramiro.
Thanks!
Ramiro Delforte
I'm glad you liked this little theory help.
Be sure to ask anything you'd like to see here at this part of the board smile.gif
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