Piano key frequencies

This is a list of the fundamental frequencies in hertz (cycles per second) of the keys of a modern 88-key standard or 108-key extended piano in
twelve-tone equal temperament, with the 49th key, the fifth A (called A4), tuned to 440 Hz (referred to as A440).[1][2] Every octave is made of twelve
steps called semitones. A jump from the lowest semitone to the highest semitone in one octave doubles the frequency (for example, the fifth A is 440
Hz and the sixth A is 880 Hz). The frequency of a pitch is derived by multiplying (ascending) or dividing (descending) the frequency of the previous
pitch by the twelfth root of two (approximately 1.059463).[1][2] For example, to get the frequency one semitone up from A4 (A♯ 4), multiply 440 Hz
by the twelfth root of two. To go from A4 up two semitones (one whole tone) to B4, multiply 440 twice by the twelfth root of two (or once by the
sixth root of two, approximately 1.122462). To go from A4 up three semitones to C5 (a minor third), multiply 440 Hz three times by the twelfth root
of two (or once by the fourth root of two, approximately 1.189207). 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.[3] This deviation from equal temperament is
called the Railsback curve.

The following equation gives the frequency f (Hz) of the nth key on the idealized standard piano with the 49th key tuned to A4 at 440 Hz:

where n is shown in the table below.[1]

Conversely, the key number of a pitch with a frequency f (Hz) on the idealized standard piano is:

List

An 88-key piano, with the octaves numbered and Middle C (cyan) and A440 (yellow)
highlighted
A printable
version of the
standard key
frequencies
(only including
the 88 keys on
a standard
piano)

Values in bold are exact on an idealized standard piano. Keys shaded gray are rare and only appear on extended pianos. The normal 88 keys were
numbered 1–88, with the extra low keys numbered 89–97 and the extra high keys numbered 98–108. A 108-key piano that extends from C0 to B8 was
first built in 2018 by Stuart & Sons.[4] (Note: these piano key numbers 1-108 are not the n keys in the equations or the table.)
 Corresponding open strings on other instruments Vocal Ranges
Frequency

Mezzo-soprano
Piano MIDI Helmholtz
Scientific f(n) (Hz)
key note pitch n (Equal
name[5]

Contralto
name[5] temperament)

Soprano

Baritone
number number

Ukulele
[6]

Guitar
Violin

Tenor
Cello
Viola

Bass

Bass
108 119 b′′′′′ B8 99 7902.133

107 118 a♯′′′′′/b♭′′′′′ A♯8/B♭8 98 7458.620

106 117 a′′′′′ A8 97 7040.000

105 116 g♯′′′′′/a♭′′′′′ G♯8/A♭8 96 6644.875

104 115 g′′′′′ G8 95 6271.927

103 114 f♯′′′′′/g♭′′′′′ F♯8/G♭8 94 5919.911

102 113 f′′′′′ F8 93 5587.652

101 112 e′′′′′ E8 92 5274.041

100 111 d♯′′′′′/e♭′′′′′ D♯8/E♭8 91 4978.032

99 110 d′′′′′ D8 90 4698.636

98 109 c♯′′′′′/d♭′′′′′ C♯8/D♭8 89 4434.922

c′′′′′ 5-line C8 Eighth

88 108 88 4186.009
octave octave

87 107 b′′′′ B7 87 3951.066

86 106 a♯′′′′/b♭′′′′ A♯7/B♭7 86 3729.310

85 105 a′′′′ A7 85 3520.000

84 104 g♯′′′′/a♭′′′′ G♯7/A♭7 84 3322.438

83 103 g′′′′ G7 83 3135.963

82 102 f♯′′′′/g♭′′′′ F♯7/G♭7 82 2959.955

81 101 f′′′′ F7 81 2793.826

80 100 e′′′′ E7 80 2637.020

79 99 d♯′′′′/e♭′′′′ D♯7/E♭7 79 2489.016

78 98 d′′′′ D7 78 2349.318

77 97 c♯′′′′/d♭′′′′ C♯7/D♭7 77 2217.461

C7
c′′′′ 4-line
76 96 Double 76 2093.005
octave
high C

75 95 b′′′ B6 75 1975.533

74 94 a♯′′′/b♭′′′ A♯6/B♭6 74 1864.655

73 93 a′′′ A6 73 1760.000

72 92 g♯′′′/a♭′′′ G♯6/A♭6 72 1661.219

71 91 g′′′ G6 71 1567.982

70 90 f♯′′′/g♭′′′ F♯6/G♭6 70 1479.978

69 89 f′′′ F6 69 1396.913

68 88 e′′′ E6 68 1318.510

67 87 d♯′′′/e♭′′′ D♯6/E♭6 67 1244.508

66 86 d′′′ D6 66 1174.659

65 85 c♯′′′/d♭′′′ C♯6/D♭6 65 1108.731

C6
c′′′ 3-line Soprano
64 84 64 1046.502
octave C (High
C)

63 83 b′′ B5 63 987.7666

62 82 a♯′′/b♭′′ A♯5/B♭5 62 932.3275

61 81 a′′ A5 61 880.0000

60 80 g♯′′/a♭′′ G♯5/A♭5 60 830.6094

59 79 g′′ G5 59 783.9909

58 78 f♯′′/g♭′′ F♯5/G♭5 58 739.9888

57 77 f′′ F5 57 698.4565

E (5
56 76 e′′ E5 56 659.2551 E String
Viola)

55 75 d♯′′/e♭′′ D♯5/E♭5 55 622.2540

54 74 d′′ D5 54 587.3295

53 73 c♯′′/d♭′′ C♯5/D♭5 53 554.3653

c′′ 2-line C5 Tenor

52 72 52 523.2511
octave C
High B
(Optional
51 71 b′ B4 51 493.8833 for 12
String
Guitar)

50 70 a♯′/b♭′ A♯4/B♭4 50 466.1638

A4 A440 High A
49 69 a′ 49 440.0000 A A A
(Optional)

High Ab
(12
48 68 g♯′/a♭′ G♯4/A♭4 48 415.3047 Single
String
Bass)
High
47 67 g′ G4 47 391.9954
G

46 66 f♯′/g♭′ F♯4/G♭4 46 369.9944

45 65 f′ F4 45 349.2282

High
E4 E (5
44 64 e′ 44 329.6276 High E E
String
Cello)

High Eb
(12 String
43 63 d♯′/e♭′ D♯4/E♭4 43 311.1270 Single
String
Bass)

42 62 d′ D4 42 293.6648 D D

41 61 c♯′/d♭′ C♯4/D♭4 41 277.1826

c′ 1-line C4 Middle
40 60 40 261.6256 C
octave C

39 59 b B3 39 246.9417 B

38 58 a♯/b♭ A♯3/B♭3 38 233.0819

37 57 a A3 37 220.0000 A

36 56 g♯/a♭ G♯3/A♭3 36 207.6523

G3 Low
35 55 g 35 195.9977 G G G
G

34 54 f♯/g♭ F♯3/G♭3 34 184.9972

F3 High F (7
33 53 f 33 174.6141
String)
High E
(5th
32 52 e E3 32 164.8138 tuning, 5
String
Bass)

31 51 d♯/e♭ D♯3/E♭3 31 155.5635

30 50 d D3 30 146.8324 D D

29 49 c♯/d♭ C♯3/D♭3 29 138.5913

c small C3 C (5 C (6
28 48 28 130.8128 C
octave String) string)

27 47 B B2 27 123.4708

26 46 A♯/B♭ A♯2/B♭2 26 116.5409

 A (5th
25 45 A A2 25 110.0000 tuning A
Upright)

24 44 G♯/A♭ G♯2/A♭2 24 103.8262

23 43 G G2 23 97.99886 G G

22 42 F♯/G♭ F♯2/G♭2 22 92.49861

Low F Low F
21 41 F F2 21 87.30706 (6 (6
String) String)

20 40 E E2 20 82.40689 Low E

19 39 D♯/E♭ D♯2/E♭2 19 77.78175

18 38 D D2 18 73.41619 D

17 37 C♯/D♭ C♯2/D♭2 17 69.29566

C great C2 Deep
16 36 16 65.40639 C
octave C

B1 Low B (7
15 35 B͵ 15 61.73541
string)

14 34 A♯͵/B♭͵ A♯1/B♭1 14 58.27047

13 33 A͵ A1 13 55.00000 A

12 32 G♯͵/A♭͵ G♯1/A♭1 12 51.91309

G (5th
11 31 G͵ G1 11 48.99943 tuning
Upright)
Low F♯ (8
10 30 F♯͵/G♭͵ F♯1/G♭1 10 46.24930
string)

Low F
9 29 F͵ F1 9 43.65353 (6
String)

8 28 E͵ E1 8 41.20344 E

7 27 D♯͵/E♭͵ D♯1/E♭1 7 38.89087

6 26 D͵ D1 6 36.70810

C♯1/D♭1 Low C#(9

5 25 C♯͵/D♭͵ 5 34.64783
String)
C
(Upright
C͵ contra- C1 Pedal
4 24 4 32.70320 Extension
octave C or 5th
tuning)

B0 B (5
3 23 B͵͵ 3 30.86771
string)

2 22 A♯͵͵/B♭͵͵ A♯0/B♭0 2 29.13524

1 21 A͵͵ A0 1 27.50000

Low G#
97 20 G♯͵͵/A♭͵͵ G♯0/A♭0 0 25.95654 (10
String)

96 19 G͵͵ G0 -1 24.49971

95 18 F♯͵͵/G♭͵͵ F♯0/G♭0 -2 23.12465

94 17 F͵͵ F0 -3 21.82676

93 16 E͵͵ E0 -4 20.60172

92 15 D♯͵͵/E♭͵͵ D♯0/E♭0 -5 19.44544

91 14 D͵͵ D0 -6 18.35405

90 13 C♯͵͵/D♭͵͵ C♯0/D♭0 -7 17.32391

C͵͵ sub- C0
89 12 contra- Double -8 16.35160
octave Pedal C

See also
Piano tuning
 Scientific pitch notation
Music and mathematics

References
1. Weisstein, Eric. "Equal Temperament -- from Eric Weisstein's Treasure Trove of Music" (http://www.ericweisstein.com/encyclopedia
s/music/EqualTemperament.html). Eric Weisstein's Treasure Trove of Music. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/2019061413134
3/http://www.ericweisstein.com/encyclopedias/music/EqualTemperament.html) from the original on 2019-06-14. Retrieved
2019-12-26.
2. Nov, Yuval. "Explaining the Equal Temperament" (https://www.yuvalnov.org/temperament/). www.yuvalnov.org. Archived (https://we
b.archive.org/web/20190526025417/https://www.yuvalnov.org/temperament) from the original on 2019-05-26. Retrieved 2019-12-26.
3. Citak, Ray. "Information on Piano Tuning" (https://www.pianotechnician.com/tuning.html). www.pianotechnician.com. Archived (http
s://web.archive.org/web/20190226033129/http://www.pianotechnician.com/tuning.html) from the original on 2019-02-26. Retrieved
2019-12-26.
4. Wills, Oscar; King, Rosie (2018-09-15). "Australian behind world's grandest piano" (https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-09-15/worlds
-first-108-key-concert-grand-piano-built-by-australian/10246340). ABC News. Australia. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20190
611190146/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-09-15/worlds-first-108-key-concert-grand-piano-built-by-australian/10246340) from
the original on 2019-06-11. Retrieved 2019-12-26.
5. Goss, Clint (2019-02-18). "Octave Notation" (http://www.flutopedia.com/octave_notation.htm). Flutopedia. Archived (https://web.arch
ive.org/web/20190512205909/http://flutopedia.com/octave_notation.htm) from the original on 2019-05-12. Retrieved 2019-12-26.
6. Suits, Bryan (1998). "Frequencies of Musical Notes, A4 = 440 Hz" (https://pages.mtu.edu/~suits/notefreqs.html). Physics of Music —
Notes. Michigan Tech University. Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20191216163453/https://pages.mtu.edu/~suits/notefreqs.ht
ml) from the original on 2019-12-16. Retrieved 2019-12-26.

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Piano_key_frequencies&oldid=1254093241"