Unexplainable

What’s A

September 24, 2025

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  • The seemingly simple act of tuning an orchestra to an A-note reveals a complex history of scientific, political, and aesthetic debates that shaped modern musical standards. 
  • The establishment of a universal pitch standard like A440 Hertz was not a purely scientific endeavor but was influenced by nationalistic ambitions, technological power, and the evolving landscape of popular music. 
  • Despite the widespread adoption of A440 Hertz, the inherent fluidity of musical performance and the persistent desire for alternative standards demonstrate that even seemingly fixed scientific conventions are subject to ongoing negotiation and individual interpretation. 

Segments

The Oboe’s Tuning Ritual
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(00:01:12)
  • Key Takeaway: The familiar concert ritual of tuning to an A-note highlights the necessity of agreed-upon standards for musical performance.
  • Summary: Classical music concerts often begin with the first violinist and an oboe providing an A-note for all other instruments to tune to. This practice, though common, underscores the fundamental need for musicians to agree on a shared reference point for pitch to achieve harmony.
Historical Pitch Variation
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(00:03:50)
  • Key Takeaway: Musical pitch standards were highly variable historically, differing significantly between cities and even within the same city.
  • Summary: Before the establishment of universal standards, the pitch of an A-note could vary dramatically, with examples showing differences of hundreds of Hertz between cities in France in the 1700s. Even within Paris in the 1800s, multiple tuning standards existed depending on the venue.
The Rise of Standardization
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(00:05:17)
  • Key Takeaway: The French Revolution’s emphasis on rationalism spurred efforts to create standardized systems, including a national standard for musical pitch.
  • Summary: Following the French Revolution, a desire for rational and unified systems emerged, leading to proposals for a national standard pitch. This movement was influenced by the success of the metric system and aimed to bring order to previously haphazard musical tuning practices.
Aesthetic vs. Scientific Tuning
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(00:06:27)
  • Key Takeaway: Decisions about musical pitch standards involve complex aesthetic considerations beyond purely scientific rationality, impacting vocalists and instrument makers.
  • Summary: Musical pitch is not solely a scientific number; it also has aesthetic implications. Lower pitches can benefit singers, while higher pitches might enhance the sound of wind instruments, leading to ongoing debates and conflicts between different musical practitioners.
Anxiety Over Classical Music
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(00:07:15)
  • Key Takeaway: A growing appreciation for historical classical music in the mid-1800s fueled anxiety that rising pitch standards would make older compositions unperformable.
  • Summary: As musicians began to focus on performing music from earlier eras, they noticed discrepancies in pitch. This led to concerns that continuously rising pitches would eventually render beloved classical works, like Mozart’s or Beethoven’s, too high for contemporary performers to execute.
The French Standard’s Influence
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(00:09:56)
  • Key Takeaway: France established a pitch standard of 435 Hz, which initially gained traction across Europe and the United States, aiming to preserve the performance of older music.
  • Summary: A French commission set a standard pitch of 435 Hz, intended to be lower and more accommodating for singing classical repertoire. This standard began to spread internationally, even being celebrated with specific concerts to demonstrate the tuning down of instruments.
The Rise of A440
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(00:13:02)
  • Key Takeaway: The United States, driven by figures like John Deagan and the growing influence of its popular music industry, championed and eventually popularized the A440 Hertz standard.
  • Summary: While France pushed for 435 Hz, other countries like Britain adopted 439 Hz, and in America, John Deagan advocated for 440 Hz. The dominance of American popular music genres like jazz and Vaudeville, along with Deagan’s business interests in percussion instruments, helped solidify A440 as the new standard.
WWII and Pitch Standardization
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(00:19:39)
  • Key Takeaway: Remarkably, European nations convened on the eve of World War II to discuss adopting the American A440 Hertz standard, driven by a desire for broadcast harmony and peace.
  • Summary: In May 1939, representatives from various European countries met at the BBC to discuss standardizing pitch, aiming to align with the American A440 standard. This conference, held amidst escalating global tensions, was framed as an effort to foster unity through shared musical experiences and broadcast soundscapes.
Modern Pitch Debates and Theories
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(00:23:23)
  • Key Takeaway: Despite the official adoption of A440 Hertz, many musicians and groups continue to use alternative tunings, and fringe theories about A440’s negative effects persist.
  • Summary: Even though A440 Hertz is the widely recognized standard, numerous musicians opt for different pitches, and some believe A440 has detrimental effects, even linking it to conspiracy theories. These ongoing deviations highlight the challenge of enforcing a single standard in a diverse musical landscape.
The Fluidity of Musical Standards
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(00:26:20)
  • Key Takeaway: Ultimately, the strict adherence to a universal pitch standard may be less important than the immediate goal of musicians playing in tune with each other in a given performance.
  • Summary: The practical reality of music performance is that perfect tuning is rarely achieved, with pitches fluctuating due to environmental factors and human error. The true purpose of the tuning ritual is to ensure musicians are in sync with each other in that specific moment and space, rather than conforming to an abstract, universal standard.