Posted by Gus Pratt on March 08, 2004 at 23:49:12:
In Reply to: Double-flat (bb) posted by Accidental on March 08, 2004 at 14:04:56:
Contrary to all sense of logic, even though Bbb is technically the same as A, in the context of the piece it makes a substantial difference. When playing we don't play everything right down the center with the tuner. Music is based on tension and release to provide movement within the piece. Sometimes this is done with changes is volume, and other times it is done with changes in pitch.
Here's a good example. When playing a Bb scale in the key of Bb, to play with musicality you actually play the A a little sharp as it proceeds to the next note Bb. This then brings out the tension between the A and Bb and then we hear the resolving more when the Bb is played. However when playing in the key of Eb, if we play a Bb scale at times we will raise the pitch of the D as it resolves to Eb. In the key of Bb the D is a stable note (the third of the chord) whereas in the key of Eb the D is unstable (leading note to Eb). So the Bb scale is actually played differently in the context of the 2 different keys. In the key of Eb the D is played sharp, and not in the key of Bb.
When we get to accidentals we need to keep them within the key as much as possible so we can play the note in the context of the piece. In the case of your piece, since the note is written as a Bbb I would be inclined to think of the note in a minor mode and play it a little flat. If it was written as an A I would have a tendency to play it sharp expecting it to resolve somewhere.
So just because two notes are technically the same note, you always need to take into context the key you are in and how that note is being used within the key.
I hope this all makes some sense.