middle C

American  

noun

Music.

1. the note indicated by the first leger line above the bass staff and the first below the treble staff.

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middle C British  

noun

1. music the note graphically represented on the first ledger line below the treble staff or the first ledger line above the bass staff and corresponding in pitch to an internationally standardized fundamental frequency of 261.63 hertz

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Etymology

Origin of middle C

First recorded in 1830–40

Example Sentences

For what it’s worth, though, they did find that the waves corresponded to the note of B-flat, about 57 octaves below the middle C note on a piano.

From Salon

In one passage shortly after Emile’s first entrance, Blanchard originally called for high G’s, which now have been lowered to B’s, one step below middle C.

From Seattle Times

“It’s like the middle C, and a couple of keys on either side of it on a piano keyboard.”

From Los Angeles Times

The solo is staged within two octaves, dipping only once as low as the area of middle C, spelled by infrequent breath-like rests, a minimal reliance on triplets, and a few heady riff episodes.

From New York Times

They might call a note "middle C" or "second line G" or "the F sharp in the bass clef."

From Literature