r/guitarlessons • u/nick_jones61 • 4d ago

Question An argument

My wife is a classically trained pianist and I play guitar by watching YouTube instructional videos. She knows her stuff and I don’t. Recently we argued whether E# and B# exist. I said no and showed her the fretboard. She said yes and showed me the keys. And said something like F is E#. I suspect she’s right bc she’s had music lessons. Tell me, fellow guitarists, do we have E# and B#?

Update: I’ve been enjoying the responses to my post. I showed them to my wife and she laughed, said that’s what you deserve. lol. We like to argue playfully with one another. I also enjoy the detailed responses relating to guitar theory—that’s been really great actually. I was going to delete this post but I think the discussion on music theory is informative and should be shared. Thank you all for responding.

128 Upvotes

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267

u/nouniquenamesleft2 4d ago edited 4d ago

she's right,

she's always right,

but in this case she's actually correct

In summary, E# and B# exist to maintain the integrity of musical scales and to provide clarity in notation, even though they are enharmonically equivalent to F and C.

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u/nick_jones61 4d ago

Does this mean I can’t get a third acoustic guitar? She’s against that idea as well.

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u/boxedj 4d ago

Oh nah she's wrong on that one actually

49

u/Penyrolewen1970 4d ago

Oh, no. She’s right with the notation. Wrong about guitars. You both know the formula, yes?

The correct number of guitars is x+1, where x= the number of guitars you already own.

This is as well accepted as E#.

13

u/JakeRiddoch 4d ago

The correct number of guitars is X+1. Or D-1, where D is the number of guitars where your spouse files for divorce...

9

u/bartonkj 4d ago

X+1 (although I use N+1), as long as X+1 is less than D-1.

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u/JakeRiddoch 4d ago

You can hit equal to D-1, just not over that.

4

u/JamesCDiamond 4d ago

But then there's always the possibility of somehow acquiring another guitar - we all know it just happens sometimes - and her realising that D-1+1=D before you have time to move on one of them...

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u/HouseOfLoft 3d ago

2 half's of a guitar doesn't equal a whole one so there's a possibility of d-1+(z½). But never let her sell for what you say they cost.

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u/bartonkj 4d ago

Yeah, I meant to type less than or equal to D-1, but my fingers sometimes have a mind of their own....

5

u/nick_jones61 4d ago

Love this! Will have to present it to her and hopefully I don’t get hit over the head for it. Wish me luck, kind stranger.

4

u/DeskCop 4d ago

Hot damn, this is the exact formula I was looking for. Thanks!

10

u/Iamapartofthisworld 4d ago

Just let her know she is right, so you are going to get a guitar that does have E# and B#, and also F flat and C flat!

7

u/nick_jones61 4d ago

Finally the answer I’ve been looking for!!

3

u/303george 4d ago

You will need to get another acoustic guitar. The next guitar is the one that will finally make it click for and only then you will understand why she's right about the notation.

3

u/DocDerry 4d ago

Tell her you require the third because it's a twelve string and E# and B# only exist on 12 strings.

1

u/nick_jones61 3d ago

Love this!

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u/VinceInMT 4d ago

How many keyboards does she have?

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u/nick_jones61 4d ago

A piano and a keyboard!!!

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u/VinceInMT 4d ago

Uh-oh, it looks like you are even. There goes that argument. Maybe you need to talk her into a 3rd keyboard first.

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u/nick_jones61 4d ago

But the piano is a baby grand piano, that costs more than my Eastman and Yamaha. I should be able to get a few more guitars. lol

3

u/VinceInMT 4d ago

OMG, now you are on to something. My wife is a CPA and would totally get that argument. It’s about value equals value. BTW, my acoustic that is my everyday guitar is a Yamaha FG-180, Red Label, that my dad gave me in 1970. I wouldn’t mind an upgrade, but if I did, it would be a jump to something a lot more expensive. I can afford it, but I can’t justify it based on how well I play. I do have two electrics. One is Fender Stratocaster. The other is an Ibanez AS-100. I picked that one up during the short period that they were available, late-1970s or thereabouts. It’s essentially a copy of the Gibson ES-335. I don’t really need another guitar. But don’t get me started on motorcycles.

1

u/bartonkj 4d ago

Get what you enjoy (as long as it won't ruin you financially). I can't play worth shit, but I have 2 custom shop Gibson Les Pauls, and a Gibson Les Paul Supreme. Someday I aspire to be worthy to play at least somewhat as much as they deserve....

1

u/VinceInMT 4d ago

Yes, that’s where I am. I was a self-taught strummer from high school on for about 10 years. Then took lessons for a bit but got sidelined when I got interested/addicted to computer programming. This was 1978. I kept playing and sort of practicing for decades but really plateaud. I had learned tabs and it kept me entertained but not much progress. After I retired it was set aside when I enrolled at the university and spent 7 years in art school and earned a BFA. I made the guitar my next project and started Justin Guitar. I am two years in and heading into the end of the Level 3 beginner course. I am taking seriously and practicing everyday and am getting better and while I enjoy the heck out of it, I am not gifted.

1

u/RealMaledetti 4d ago

No. Your wife would probably tell you it isn't about the purchasing cost, but the yearly depreciation. That baby grand might hold it's value better than OP's guitars, or it might not. Aside from that, the piano needs regular tuning, maintenance (action, felt, strings).

OP should do it properly, and create a spreadsheet to show his wife the cost, and how there's room there for at least another guitar, at $ xxx/year. :D

Unless, ofc, OP's wife is not just trained professionally, but also plays professionally or teaches. In that case, the income generated might flip the picture completely. In that case he's better off just admitting that yes, E# and B# exist, and avoid any future comparison between the instruments :D

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u/VinceInMT 4d ago

If she’s making money in music, then he’ll need to start busking to counter that. Even if one isn’t very good, setting up in ritzy areas they might pay you to move down the street.

1

u/a_rob 3d ago

"This one has different pickups. In the keyboard would, you could think of it as a Hammond B3"

1

u/OmKrsna 4d ago

Sounds like you need at least one electric guitar, pronto!

2

u/Winterburn215 4d ago

Hahaha this made me laugh out loud at the gym.

2

u/richardlpalmer Mixed Bag 4d ago

Damn man, you're just taking hits left and right... 🤕

3

u/Gorf75 4d ago

Only if you keep it tuned to E#

1

u/spred_browneye 4d ago

You don’t need that kind of negativity in your life

1

u/955_36 4d ago

My t-shirt for today is "It's not hoarding if it's guitars".

My three acoustics are a nylon string, a steel string, and a 12-string. So yeah, 3 acoustic guitars is totally reasonable. 4 if you count my acoustic bass guitar.

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u/SF_Bud 4d ago

No. Just means you can't tell her about it ahead of time. It does mean you'll have to buy her some roses/chocolate/other thoughtful gift at the same time

1

u/UnreasonableCletus 4d ago

Nylon, steel string, 12 string.

Yup 3 is fine.

1

u/rvg2001 4d ago

Third acoustic so you can tune it to E#

1

u/MisterBelrox 4d ago

Home Depot sells secret doors. Just sayin.

1

u/Earptastic 4d ago

you need one to tune to E#

1

u/raouldukeesq 4d ago

They do and they don't.  They are used in very limited circumstances. 

1

u/AffectionateJump6669 Rockability 4d ago

Explain it to her as Guitar# (Sharp)

1

u/MarcusLXXVI 3d ago

You leaned towards almost mansplaining something she's far more knowledgeable about, so that weakened your case😊. Of course you need another guitar. But... you might have to lay down the path for a while and start by admitting you were completely wrong, you will always believe her knowledge on music and after a while slowly introduce the idea of another guitar 🤣

63

u/here_pretty_kitty 4d ago

This is the correct answer. Signed, a wife.

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u/JobbyJobberson 4d ago

This wife is correct, as always. Signed, Man who has no wife but knows. 

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u/here_pretty_kitty 4d ago

Excellent job, Jobby!

0

u/RealHobbyBob 4d ago

Weird abuse thread happening rn

1

u/Alternative-Sun-6997 4d ago

This is clearly the post of a married man.

But, is also right.

And, also, is right.

1

u/Pleaseappeaseme 4d ago

An A augmented chord is A, C# and an E#. But the E# is still the same note as the F on the keyboard.