Pitches
This table shows which note name, MIDI note number, voltage, and frequency in Hertz are all equivalent, as per ISO 16 (which dictates that in standardised twelve-tone equal temperament, A4 is 440 Hz), the MIDI specification (which dictates that C4 is MIDI note number 60), and the Roland MPU-101 (which outputs 2 V for C4).[1][2]
While the voltage of each note is rather contentious, the MPU-101 was an early and influential MIDI to CV converter, and as such set the de facto standard. Before MIDI, it was more likely that 0 V corresponded to the lowest C on the synthesiser's keyboard, or even whichever pitch happened to be the first on the keyboard at all. For example, the Minimoog uses 0 V for F.[3] Even now, depending on your equipment, you may need to compensate by e.g. a volt in either direction.
Also note that many oscillators have an octave range switch measured in feet, with 8' being the original unmodified pitch.
| Name | MIDI | Voltage | Frequency | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C-1 | 00 | -3.000 | ||
| C♯-1 | 01 | -2.917 | ||
| D-1 | 02 | -2.833 | ||
| D♯-1 | 03 | -2.750 | ||
| E-1 | 04 | -2.667 | ||
| F-1 | 05 | -2.583 | ||
| F♯-1 | 06 | -2.500 | ||
| G-1 | 07 | -2.417 | ||
| G♯-1 | 08 | -2.333 | ||
| A-1 | 09 | -2.250 | ||
| A♯-1 | 10 | -2.167 | ||
| B-1 | 11 | -2.083 | ||
| C0 | 12 | -2.000 | ||
| C♯0 | 13 | -1.917 | ||
| D0 | 14 | -1.833 | ||
| D♯0 | 15 | -1.750 | ||
| E0 | 16 | -1.667 | ||
| F0 | 17 | -1.583 | ||
| F♯0 | 18 | -1.500 | ||
| G0 | 19 | -1.417 | ||
| G♯0 | 20 | -1.333 | ||
| A0 | 21 | -1.250 | 27.50 | Lowest pitch on 88-key piano |
| A♯0 | 22 | -1.167 | 29.14 | |
| B0 | 23 | -1.083 | 30.87 | |
| C1 | 24 | -1.000 | 32.70 | |
| C♯1 | 25 | -0.917 | 34.65 | |
| D1 | 26 | -0.833 | 36.71 | |
| D♯1 | 27 | -0.750 | 38.89 | |
| E1 | 28 | -0.667 | 41.20 | |
| F1 | 29 | -0.583 | 43.65 | |
| F♯1 | 30 | -0.500 | 46.25 | |
| G1 | 31 | -0.417 | 49.00 | |
| G♯1 | 32 | -0.333 | 51.91 | |
| A1 | 33 | -0.250 | 55.00 | |
| A♯1 | 34 | -0.167 | 58.27 | |
| B1 | 35 | -0.083 | 61.74 | |
| C2 | 36 | 0.000 | 65.41 | |
| C♯2 | 37 | 0.083 | 69.30 | |
| D2 | 38 | 0.167 | 73.42 | |
| D♯2 | 39 | 0.250 | 77.78 | |
| E2 | 40 | 0.333 | 82.41 | |
| F2 | 41 | 0.417 | 87.31 | |
| F♯2 | 42 | 0.500 | 92.50 | |
| G2 | 43 | 0.583 | 98.00 | |
| G♯2 | 44 | 0.667 | 103.83 | |
| A2 | 45 | 0.750 | 110.00 | |
| A♯2 | 46 | 0.833 | 116.54 | |
| B2 | 47 | 0.917 | 123.47 | |
| C3 | 48 | 1.000 | 130.81 | |
| C♯3 | 49 | 1.083 | 138.59 | |
| D3 | 50 | 1.167 | 146.83 | |
| D♯3 | 51 | 1.250 | 155.56 | |
| E3 | 52 | 1.333 | 164.81 | |
| F3 | 53 | 1.417 | 174.61 | 𝄢 (bass clef) |
| F♯3 | 54 | 1.500 | 185.00 | |
| G3 | 55 | 1.583 | 196.00 | |
| G♯3 | 56 | 1.667 | 207.65 | |
| A3 | 57 | 1.750 | 220.00 | |
| A♯3 | 58 | 1.833 | 233.08 | |
| B3 | 59 | 1.917 | 246.94 | |
| C4 | 60 | 2.000 | 261.63 | Middle C; 𝄡 (alto clef) |
| C♯4 | 61 | 2.083 | 277.18 | |
| D4 | 62 | 2.167 | 293.66 | |
| D♯4 | 63 | 2.250 | 311.13 | |
| E4 | 64 | 2.333 | 329.63 | |
| F4 | 65 | 2.417 | 349.23 | |
| F♯4 | 66 | 2.500 | 369.99 | |
| G4 | 67 | 2.583 | 392.00 | 𝄞 (treble clef) |
| G♯4 | 68 | 2.667 | 415.30 | |
| A4 | 69 | 2.750 | 440.00 | A440 |
| A♯4 | 70 | 2.833 | 466.16 | |
| B4 | 71 | 2.917 | 493.88 | |
| C5 | 72 | 3.000 | 523.25 | |
| C♯5 | 73 | 3.083 | 554.37 | |
| D5 | 74 | 3.167 | 587.33 | |
| D♯5 | 75 | 3.250 | 622.25 | |
| E5 | 76 | 3.333 | 659.26 | |
| F5 | 77 | 3.417 | 698.46 | |
| F♯5 | 78 | 3.500 | 739.99 | |
| G5 | 79 | 3.583 | 783.99 | |
| G♯5 | 80 | 3.667 | 830.61 | |
| A5 | 81 | 3.750 | 880.00 | |
| A♯5 | 82 | 3.833 | 932.33 | |
| B5 | 83 | 3.917 | 987.77 | |
| C6 | 84 | 4.000 | 1046.50 | |
| C♯6 | 85 | 4.083 | 1108.73 | |
| D6 | 86 | 4.167 | 1174.66 | |
| D♯6 | 87 | 4.250 | 1244.51 | |
| E6 | 88 | 4.333 | 1318.51 | |
| F6 | 89 | 4.417 | 1396.91 | |
| F♯6 | 90 | 4.500 | 1479.98 | |
| G6 | 91 | 4.583 | 1567.98 | |
| G♯6 | 92 | 4.667 | 1661.22 | |
| A6 | 93 | 4.750 | 1760.00 | |
| A♯6 | 94 | 4.833 | 1864.66 | |
| B6 | 95 | 4.917 | 1975.53 | |
| C7 | 96 | 5.000 | 2093.00 | |
| C♯7 | 97 | 5.083 | 2217.46 | |
| D7 | 98 | 5.167 | 2349.32 | |
| D♯7 | 99 | 5.250 | 2489.02 | |
| E7 | 100 | 5.333 | 2637.02 | |
| F7 | 101 | 5.417 | 2793.83 | |
| F♯7 | 102 | 5.500 | 2959.96 | |
| G7 | 103 | 5.583 | 3135.96 | |
| G♯7 | 104 | 5.667 | 3322.44 | |
| A7 | 105 | 5.750 | 3520.00 | |
| A♯7 | 106 | 5.833 | 3729.31 | |
| B7 | 107 | 5.917 | 3951.07 | |
| C8 | 108 | 6.000 | 4186.01 | Highest pitch on 88-key piano |
| C♯8 | 109 | 6.083 | ||
| D8 | 110 | 6.167 | ||
| D♯8 | 111 | 6.250 | ||
| E8 | 112 | 6.333 | ||
| F8 | 113 | 6.417 | ||
| F♯8 | 114 | 6.500 | ||
| G8 | 115 | 6.583 | ||
| G♯8 | 116 | 6.667 | ||
| A8 | 117 | 6.750 | ||
| A♯8 | 118 | 6.833 | ||
| B8 | 119 | 6.917 | ||
| C9 | 120 | 7.000 | ||
| C♯9 | 121 | 7.083 | ||
| D9 | 122 | 7.167 | ||
| D♯9 | 123 | 7.250 | ||
| E9 | 124 | 7.333 | ||
| F9 | 125 | 7.417 | ||
| F♯9 | 126 | 7.500 | ||
| G9 | 127 | 7.583 |
References
- "MPU-101 manual" Roland, p. 37
- "MPU-101 service notes" Roland, Jun 1985, p. 3
- "Moog Minimoog" Kenton
Further reading
Deep dives
- "Matching Octaves in Your Modular" Chris Meyer
Electronic music making tables: BPM to milliseconds | DX21 guide | Interval | MicroVerb III guide | Pitched tempos | Pitches | S1000 page map | ST MIDI sequencer timeline | Transposing tempos
