Piano key frequencies 1

Piano key frequencies

This is a virtual keyboard showing the absolute frequencies in hertz (cycles per second) of the notes on a modern
piano (typically containing 88 keys) in twelve-tone equal temperament, with the 49th key, the fifth A (called A4),
tuned to 440 Hz (referred to as A440). Each successive pitch is derived by multiplying (ascending) or dividing
(descending) the previous by the twelfth root of two (approximately 1.05946309435929...). For example, to get the
frequency a semitone up from A4 (A♯4), multiply 440 by the twelfth root of two. To go from A4 to B4 (up a whole
tone, or two semitones), multiply 440 twice by the twelfth root of two. For other tuning schemes refer to musical
tuning.
This list of frequencies is for a theoretically ideal piano. On an actual piano the ratio between semitones is slightly
larger, especially at the high and low ends, where string stiffness causes inharmonicity, i.e., the tendency for the
harmonic makeup of each note to run sharp. To compensate for this, octaves are tuned slightly wide, stretched
according to the inharmonic characteristics of each instrument. This deviation from equal temperament is called the
Railsback curve.
The following equation will give the frequency f of the nth key, as shown in the table:

Alternatively, this can be written as:

Virtual keyboard

An 88-key piano, with the octaves numbered and

Middle C (cyan) and A440 (yellow) highlighted.

Key Helmholtz Scientific Frequency (Hz) Corresponding Open Strings

number name name
Violin Viola Cello Bass Guitar

88 c′′′′′ 5-line octave C8 Eighth octave 4186.01

87 b′′′′ B7 3951.07

86 a♯′′′′/b♭′′′′ A♯7/B♭7 3729.31

85 a′′′′ A7 3520.00

84 g♯′′′′/a♭′′′′ G♯7/A♭7 3322.44

83 g′′′′ G7 3135.96

82 f♯′′′′/g♭′′′′ F♯7/G♭7 2959.96

81 f′′′′ F7 2793.83

80 e′′′′ E7 2637.02

79 d♯′′′′/e♭′′′′ D♯7/E♭7 2489.02

78 d′′′′ D7 2349.32

77 c♯′′′′/d♭′′′′ C♯7/D♭7 2217.46

76 c′′′′ 4-line octave C7 Double high C 2093.00

Piano key frequencies 2

75 b′′′ B6 1975.53

74 a♯′′′/b♭′′′ A♯6/B♭6 1864.66

73 a′′′ A6 1760.00

72 g♯′′′/a♭′′′ G♯6/A♭6 1661.22

71 g′′′ G6 1567.98

70 f♯′′′/g♭′′′ F♯6/G♭6 1479.98

69 f′′′ F6 1396.91

68 e′′′ E6 1318.51

67 d♯′′′/e♭′′′ D♯6/E♭6 1244.51

66 d′′′ D6 1174.66

65 c♯′′′/d♭′′′ C♯6/D♭6 1108.73

64 c′′′ 3-line octave C6 Soprano C (High C) 1046.50

63 b′′ B5 987.767

62 a♯′′/b♭′′ A♯5/B♭5 932.328

61 a′′ A5 880.000

60 g♯′′/a♭′′ G♯5/A♭5 830.609

59 g′′ G5 783.991

58 f♯′′/g♭′′ F♯5/G♭5 739.989

57 f′′ F5 698.456

56 e′′ E5 659.255 E

55 d♯′′/e♭′′ D♯5/E♭5 622.254

54 d′′ D5 587.330

53 c♯′′/d♭′′ C♯5/D♭5 554.365

52 c′′ 2-line octave C5 Tenor C 523.251

51 b′ B4 493.883

50 a♯′/b♭′ A♯4/B♭4 466.164

49 a′ A4 A440 440.000 A A

48 g♯′/a♭′ G♯4/A♭4 415.305

47 g′ G4 391.995

46 f♯′/g♭′ F♯4/G♭4 369.994

45 f′ F4 349.228

44 e′ E4 329.628 High E

43 d♯′/e♭′ D♯4/E♭4 311.127

42 d′ D4 293.665 D D

41 c♯′/d♭′ C♯4/D♭4 277.183

40 c′ 1-line octave C4 Middle C 261.626

39 b B3 246.942 B

38 a♯/b♭ A♯3/B♭3 233.082

37 a A3 220.000 A
Piano key frequencies 3

36 g♯/a♭ G♯3/A♭3 207.652

35 g G3 195.998 G G G

34 f♯/g♭ F♯3/G♭3 184.997

33 f F3 174.614

32 e E3 164.814

31 d♯/e♭ D♯3/E♭3 155.563

30 d D3 146.832 D D

29 c♯/d♭ C♯3/D♭3 138.591

28 c small octave C3 Low C 130.813 C

27 B B2 123.471

26 A♯/B♭ A♯2/B♭2 116.541

25 A A2 110.000 A

24 G♯/A♭ G♯2/A♭2 103.826

23 G G2 97.9989 G G

22 F♯/G♭ F♯2/G♭2 92.4986

21 F F2 87.3071

20 E E2 82.4069 Low E

19 D♯/E♭ D♯2/E♭2 77.7817

18 D D2 73.4162 D

17 C♯/D♭ C♯2/D♭2 69.2957

16 C great octave C2 Deep C 65.4064 C

15 B͵ B1 61.7354

14 A♯͵/B♭͵ A♯1/B♭1 58.2705

13 A͵ A1 55.0000 A

12 G♯͵/A♭͵ G♯1/A♭1 51.9131

11 G͵ G1 48.9994

10 F♯͵/G♭͵ F♯1/G♭1 46.2493

9 F͵ F1 43.6535

8 E͵ E1 41.2034 E

7 D♯͵/E♭͵ D♯1/E♭1 38.8909

6 D͵ D1 36.7081

5 C♯͵/D♭͵ C♯1/D♭1 34.6478

4 C͵ contra-octave C1 Pedal C 32.7032

3 B͵͵ B0 30.8677 B (5-string)

2 A♯͵͵/B♭͵͵ A♯0/B♭0 29.1352

1 A͵͵ sub-contra-octave A0 Double Pedal A 27.5000

Piano key frequencies 4

External links
• interactive piano frequency table [1] — A php script allowing the reference pitch of A4 to be altered from 440 Hz.
• PySynth [2] — A simple Python-based software synthesizer that prints the key frequencies table and then creates a
few demo songs based on that table.

References
[1] http:/ / shakahara. com/ pianopitch2. php
[2] http:/ / home. arcor. de/ mdoege/ pysynth/
Article Sources and Contributors 5

Article Sources and Contributors

Piano key frequencies  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=474406100  Contributors: AJR, Alansohn, AndrewWTaylor, Antandrus, Binksternet, CQ, Cactuar12, Carboncopy,
Chris Capoccia, Computer97, Cyndaquazy, Discospinster, Fuzzbox, Glenn L, H, Harrismdpilmpl, Highonlife, Hrdinský, Hydnjo, Joelthesecond, Just plain Bill, Kbdank71, Kenyon, Kieff,
Kwamikagami, LMF5000, MDCollins, MakeRocketGoNow, Markmain, MatrixFrog, Matthew hk, Meithan, Melchoir, Missmarple, Modster, Morn, Noah Salzman, Nomenclator, Nono64,
Obelix83, Prari, Princess Lirin, Prof. MagneStormix, Quinobi, Rainwarrior, Rigadoun, Supersoakerjim, TedE, Tem142857, Tlevine, Tuanglen, Unyoyega, Wahoofive, Woodstone, Xojo, Yamla,
Zowie, 에멜무지로, 72 anonymous edits

Image Sources, Licenses and Contributors

Image:PianoKeysWithOctavesNumbered.png  Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:PianoKeysWithOctavesNumbered.png  License: Public Domain  Contributors:
Cyndaquazy

License
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported
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