### 2.6 Octave entry

To raise a note by an octave, add a high quote `'` (apostrophe) to the note name, to lower a note one octave, add a “low quote” `,` (a comma). Middle C is `c'`

         c'4 c'' c''' \clef bass c c,

An example of the use of quotes is in the following Mozart fragment

>          \key a \major
>          \time 6/8
>          cis''8. d''16 cis''8 e''4 e''8
>          b'8. cis''16 b'8 d''4 d''8

This example shows that music in a high register needs lots of quotes. This makes the input less readable, and it is a source of errors. The solution is to use “relative octave” mode. In practice, this is the most convenient way to copy existing music. To use relative mode, add `\relative` before the piece of music. You must also give a note from which relative starts, in this case `c''`. If you do not use octavation quotes (i.e. do not add `'` or `,` after a note), relative mode chooses the note that is closest to the previous one. For example, `c f` goes up while `c g` goes down

         \relative c'' {
           c f c g c
         }

Since most music has small intervals, pieces can be written almost without octavation quotes in relative mode. The previous example is entered as

>          \relative c'' {
>            \key a \major
>            \time 6/8
>            cis8. d16 cis8 e4 e8
>            b8. cis16 b8 d4 d8
>          }

Larger intervals are made by adding octavation quotes.

         \relative c'' {
           c f, f c' c g' c,
         }

In `\relative` mode, quotes or commas no longer determine the absolute height of a note. Rather, the height of a note is relative to the previous one, and changing the octave of a single note shifts all following notes an octave up or down.

For more information on Relative octaves see Relative octaves and Octave check.

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