Definition of 8va on Guitar Sheet Music
- Most guitar music is written in 8va.guitar image by cherie from Fotolia.com
The term "8va" derives its shorthand notation for the word "octave" because there are eight notes in a scale that designate the distance between the octave. This means, for example, that a C major scale notated C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C has a total of eight notes between the two "Cs." - The term "8vb," or "octave below," is a relatively recently developed term meant to portray the opposite of 8va. Just as 8va indicates that the written pitches should actually be sounded an octave above, 8vb indicates that the written pitches should sound an octave below what's written. Hence, the "b" for "below."
- The guitar's range of pitches is higher than what standard sheet music is capable of notating.guitar image by April K from Fotolia.com
The reason that the majority of all guitar music is written in 8va is because of the nature of the instrument's pitch range. Unlike many other instruments, the range of pitches the guitar sounds generally need to be notated above the six staff lines on a piece of music (written with "ledger lines" that can extend infinitely above the staff). The problem with ledger lines both above and below the staff is that they are very difficult to read and often require the musician to count the number of ledger lines in order to figure out the pitch. Thus, it becomes much more convenient for the guitar to be written in 8va since almost all of the notes that the guitar is capable of would be above the staff anyway. - 8va can also be notated by an "8" above this symbol.musical notes and treble clef image by Alyona Burchette from Fotolia.com
Although 8va is also used in orchestral music, piano music, and many other forms of sheet music notation, there are also a number of other ways in which 8va can be portrayed. Often times you will simply find an "8" notated above the clef (for 8va) or below the clef (for 8vb). Although this is a convenient way to clear up clutter on a piece of sheet music, it can often go unnoticed by a performer and lead to a great deal of confusing notation. - Although the majority of pitches that a guitar sounds fall above the staff and thus are more conveniently notated with an 8va, some of the pitches also fall below the staff as well. Often times, when a composer wants to notate a passage in a piece as significantly lower in range than the rest of the piece, he or she will write in the phrase "as written," indicating that the performer should play the notes in the octave, as opposed to an octave above. Often times a piece will alternate freely between 8va and "as written" notation so that the piece can be easily read by a performer.
