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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 A 4), tuned to 440 Hz (referred to as A440). [1] [2] Every octave is made of twelve steps called semitones.
An 88-key piano, with the octaves numbered and middle C (cyan) and A 4 (yellow) highlighted. A440 is widely used as concert pitch in the United Kingdom [8] and the United States. [9] In continental Europe the frequency of A 4 commonly varies between 440 Hz and 444 Hz. [8]
(See Piano key frequencies for the theoretical piano tuning.) In all systems of tuning, every pitch may be derived from its relationship to a chosen fixed pitch, which is usually A440 (440 Hz), the note A above middle C.
The table below gives notation for pitches based on standard piano key frequencies: standard concert pitch and twelve-tone equal temperament. When a piano is tuned to just intonation, C 4 refers to the same key on the keyboard, but a slightly different frequency. Notes not produced by any piano are highlighted in medium gray, and those produced ...
n and a refer to numbers assigned to the desired pitch and the reference pitch, respectively. These two numbers are from a list of consecutive integers assigned to consecutive semitones. For example, A 4 (the reference pitch) is the 49th key from the left end of a piano (tuned to 440 Hz), and C 4 , and F# 4 are the 40th and 46th key respectively.
For an instrument in equal temperament tuned to the A440 pitch standard widely adopted in 1939, middle C has a frequency around 261.63 Hz [1] (for other notes see piano key frequencies). Scientific pitch was originally proposed in 1713 by French physicist Joseph Sauveur and based on the numerically convenient frequency of 256 Hz for middle C ...
For example, A 4 (the reference pitch) is the 49th key from the left end of a piano (tuned to 440 Hz), and C 4 , and F ♯ 4 are the 40th and 46th keys, respectively. These numbers can be used to find the frequency of C 4 and F ♯ 4 :
The lowest pitch (frequency: 27.5 Hz) of an 88-key piano is equivalent to a sub contrabass in the range name. Some modern pianos have even more notes (a Bösendorfer 290 "Imperial" has 97 keys, and a Stuart & Sons model has 108 keys [ 1 ] ).