Pitch Class
A group containing all notes that share the same letter name regardless of octave, such as every C on the keyboard.
Category
pitch
Pronunciation
/pɪtʃ klɑːs/
Origin
English (theoretical term)
Length
176 words · 1 min read
About Pitch Class
Pitch class is a concept from music theory and set theory that treats all octave-related versions of a note as equivalent. Every C — whether the lowest rumble on a pipe organ or the highest tinkle on a piccolo — belongs to pitch class C.
More pitch terms
Cents
View all pitchterms →A logarithmic unit that divides each semitone into 100 equal parts, used for precise measurement of pitch intervals.
RisonamentoA rarely used Italian term for the sustained resonance produced by sympathetic vibration between strings
MicrotoneAny interval smaller than a semitone, used in various musical traditions and contemporary composition.
SharpAn accidental that raises the pitch of a note by one semitone.
IntervalThe distance in pitch between two notes.
Synonyms
See Also
Compare with similar terms
v1 · 10/04/2026Browse all terms →