Music Note Frequency Chart – Complete Guide

A music note frequency chart shows the fundamental frequency of each pitch in hertz (Hz). In 12-tone equal temperament with A4 tuned to 440 Hz, middle C (C4) is about 261.63 Hz, A3 is 220 Hz, A4 is 440 Hz, and A5 is 880 Hz. Each move up one octave doubles the frequency.

The C0–B8 chart uses scientific pitch notation, where a letter names the pitch and a number identifies its octave. Values are rounded to two decimal places.

Music Note Frequency Chart: What Frequency Is Each Note?

These frequencies assume A4 = 440 Hz and 12-tone equal temperament. Enharmonic pairs, such as C♯ and D♭, share one frequency in this system.

Octave	C	C♯/D♭	D	D♯/E♭	E	F	F♯/G♭	G	G♯/A♭	A	A♯/B♭	B
0	16.35	17.32	18.35	19.45	20.60	21.83	23.12	24.50	25.96	27.50	29.14	30.87
1	32.70	34.65	36.71	38.89	41.20	43.65	46.25	49.00	51.91	55.00	58.27	61.74
2	65.41	69.30	73.42	77.78	82.41	87.31	92.50	98.00	103.83	110.00	116.54	123.47
3	130.81	138.59	146.83	155.56	164.81	174.61	185.00	196.00	207.65	220.00	233.08	246.94
4	261.63	277.18	293.66	311.13	329.63	349.23	369.99	392.00	415.30	440.00	466.16	493.88
5	523.25	554.37	587.33	622.25	659.25	698.46	739.99	783.99	830.61	880.00	932.33	987.77
6	1046.50	1108.73	1174.66	1244.51	1318.51	1396.91	1479.98	1567.98	1661.22	1760.00	1864.66	1975.53
7	2093.00	2217.46	2349.32	2489.02	2637.02	2793.83	2959.96	3135.96	3322.44	3520.00	3729.31	3951.07
8	4186.01	4434.92	4698.64	4978.03	5274.04	5587.65	5919.91	6271.93	6644.88	7040.00	7458.62	7902.13

How do you find a note in the chart?

Identify both the note and octave. “C” alone is incomplete because C3 is 130.81 Hz, C4 is 261.63 Hz, and C5 is 523.25 Hz.

The 88-key piano runs from A0 at 27.50 Hz to C8 at 4,186.01 Hz. A guide to piano key frequencies matches these values to individual keys.

Which reference notes matter most?

A4 at 440 Hz anchors the table, while C4 at 261.63 Hz is middle C. A3 at 220 Hz and A5 at 880 Hz demonstrate the octave rule.

How Are Musical Note Frequencies Calculated?

In 12-tone equal temperament, the frequency of a note is calculated with f = 440 × 2^(n/12), where n is the number of semitones above or below A4. Use a positive value above A4 and a negative value below it.

Worked example: calculating C4

C4 is nine semitones below A4, so n = −9:

f = 440 × 2^(−9/12) ≈ 261.63 Hz

This is the theoretical middle C frequency in A4 = 440 Hz equal temperament. Vibrato, articulation, and tuning can make a measured performance fluctuate around it.

Why does every octave double the frequency?

An octave has a 2:1 frequency ratio. If A4 is 440 Hz, A5 is 880 Hz and A3 is 220 Hz.

Adjacent equal-tempered semitones use the ratio 2^(1/12), approximately 1.059463. This is why the difference in hertz is not fixed: A4 to A♯4 spans about 26.16 Hz, while A5 to A♯5 spans about 52.33 Hz. Both musical distances are exactly one equal-tempered semitone, or 100 cents. The distinction is easier to see when comparing pitch with measured frequency.

What Do Octave Numbers and Enharmonic Names Mean?

An octave number identifies register. In scientific pitch notation, each octave begins on C, so B3 is followed by C4. Middle C is C4.

Why do C♯ and D♭ have the same frequency?

C♯ and D♭ are enharmonic names for the same equal-tempered pitch. The spelling depends on musical context, but both are 277.18 Hz in octave 4.

Other tuning systems can make enharmonic pitches slightly different. The shared values in this chart apply specifically to 12-tone equal temperament, not every historical or acoustic tuning method. Understanding how the chromatic scale is organized helps explain why there are 12 pitch positions per octave.

Why might a device label middle C differently?

Some MIDI software and keyboards label middle C as C3 or C5 instead of C4. The sound may be identical; only the numbering convention differs. Check the displayed frequency when accuracy matters.

Do Note Frequencies Change With Tuning?

Yes. Exact note frequencies depend on the chosen reference pitch and tuning system. Changing A4 from 440 Hz to 432 Hz lowers every note proportionally, while the note names and interval pattern can remain the same.

What changes with A4 = 432 Hz?

With A4 = 432 Hz, C4 is approximately 256.87 Hz rather than 261.63 Hz. The entire scale is about 31.77 cents below an A4 = 440 Hz scale. The comparison of 432 Hz and 440 Hz explains the audible difference and why these numbers refer to A4, not every sound in a recording.

Concert pitch varies among some ensembles. Before playing with others, agree on one A4 tuning reference so the instruments remain compatible.

Are chart values exact in real performances?

Measured performances rarely stay on one number. Vibrato, stretch-tuned piano strings, and harmonics can affect readings, so treat a displayed frequency as an estimate of the fundamental.

How Can You Use a Note Frequency Chart?

A frequency chart helps interpret tuners, compare registers, and locate fundamentals. Match a reading to the nearest value, then confirm the octave by listening.

Checking tuning and detector readings

If a detector shows about 196 Hz, the nearest standard value is G3. A reading near 392 Hz is G4, one octave higher. Small deviations may be expressed in cents rather than as a different note, and unstable readings can come from background noise, vibrato, or competing harmonics.

Distinguishing fundamentals from harmonics

The fundamental is the lowest repeating frequency that normally determines the note you perceive. Harmonics occur at whole-number multiples of that fundamental and shape timbre. A singer producing A3 at 220 Hz can also generate strong energy near 440 Hz, 660 Hz, and higher frequencies, but those components do not mean the singer is simultaneously producing A4 as the fundamental.

This distinction matters in spectrum analysis and EQ work. A musical source can occupy a much broader band than its note fundamentals suggest, so a range chart for musical-note frequencies should not be treated as a complete map of an instrument’s sound.

Frequently Asked Questions

What frequency is middle C?

Middle C, or C4, is approximately 261.63 Hz in 12-tone equal temperament when A4 equals 440 Hz. With a different reference pitch or temperament, its exact frequency changes.

What musical note is 440 Hz?

440 Hz is A4, the A above middle C, under the standard reference used in this chart. It is commonly used as concert pitch and as the anchor for calculating the other equal-tempered notes.

Why does every note have more than one frequency?

A note name repeats in different octaves. Each octave increase doubles the frequency, so A3 is 220 Hz, A4 is 440 Hz, and A5 is 880 Hz.

Do sharps and flats have the same frequency?

Enharmonic pairs such as C♯ and D♭ have the same frequency in 12-tone equal temperament. In some other tuning systems, their pitches may differ slightly according to harmonic and musical context.

How do you convert a frequency into a musical note?

Compare the frequency with a chart or calculate its semitone distance from A4 using n = 12 × log₂(f/440). Round n to the nearest whole semitone to find the closest equal-tempered note, then calculate the remaining difference in cents if needed.

Does changing from 440 Hz to 432 Hz change every note?

Yes. Changing the A4 reference from 440 Hz to 432 Hz scales every note’s frequency by 432/440. The note names and equal-tempered interval relationships remain unchanged, but the entire tuning is approximately 31.77 cents lower.