In equal temperament, it is defined as the ratio of two frequencies f₁ and f₂, which is equal to:ġ00 cents make one semitone of the equal-tempered scale. Note one more time that the ratio of the frequencies of the two notes in any semitone interval a equals the twelfth root of 2:Ī cent is a logarithmic unit of measure of musical intervals. There are 88 notes in the standard piano keyboard, from the note A0 (sub-contra octave), which is the piano note 1 with a frequency of 27.500 Hz, to the note C8, which is the piano note 88 with a frequency of 4186.009 Hz. To calculate frequencies of musical notes from known standard (88-key) piano note number n p and the standard pitch A440, and vice versa, we can use the following formulas: The formula above can be modified to calculate the number n of semitones away from the standard pitch f 0: N is the number of semitones (also called half steps) from the standard pitch n > 0 for notes higher than the standard pitch, and n < 0 for notes lower than the standard pitch. It is usually a standard pitch of 440 Hz, which is called A440 or note A in the one-line (or, in the scientific notation, fourth) octave (A4) How do they, well, almost perfectly, play together? Maybe that is why violinists and cellists use the technic called vibrato which often solves this problem.😊 Calculationsįrequencies of musical notes of the equal tempered scale are calculated using the basic formula:į n is the frequency of the note, which is n semitones (or half steps) away from the standard pitch (usually A440) į 0 is the frequency of a fixed note, which is used as a standard for tuning.

Note that in the equal temperament the ratio of frequencies of sounds in perfect fifth (1.498307), which is used for tuning a piano, differs from that in Pythagorean tuning or just intonation (3:2 = 1.500000) used for tuning a violin or a cello. The other two strings E and D are then tuned with string A and then string G is tuned with string D. First, the A string is tuned to a standard pitch (usually 440 Hz) using a piano, tuning fork, or tuner. Unlike the piano, which is tuned to equal temperament, the strings of a violin are tuned against each other in intervals of perfect fifths.

Tuning fork frequency calculator