Music Pitch: The Building Blocks of Music

Categories: Music Theory Lessons

In this lesson you will learn about the pitches, notes and frequencies that make up the music we know and love. You will also learn about the connection between musical frequencies we perceive with our ears and colorful frequencies we see with our eyes.

What is pitch in music theory?

In music theory, 12 notes are used to refer to certain pitches in music. These 12 notes are A, A♯/B♭, B, C, C♯/D♭, D, D♯/E♭, E, F, F♯/G♭, G and G♯/A♭.

A diagram showing the music pitches on a piano keyboard.
12 music pitches; A, A♯/B♭, B, C, C♯/D♭, D, D♯/E♭, E, F, F♯/G♭, G and G♯/A♭ on a piano.

 
Natural notes are musical pitches that are not sharp (♯) or flat (♭). Notes A, B, C, D, E, F and G are considered natural notes. Basically all the white keys on a piano.

A diagram showing the natural notes on a piano keyboard
Natural notes on a piano.

 
Altered notes are notes that either have a ‘♯'(sharp) symbol or a ‘♭'(flat) symbol. The sharp(♯) symbol describes the pitch as half step, or semi-tone, above while the flat(♭) symbol describes the pitch as half step, or semitone, below. For instance the black key between A and B can be referred to as A♯ or B♭. A♯, or A-sharp, is a half step above the note A. B♭, or B-flat, is a half step below the note B. C♯/D♭, D♯/E♭, F♯/G♭, and G♯/A♭.

A diagram showing the altered notes on black keys of a piano keyboard, A♯/B♭, C♯/D♭, D♯/E♭, F♯/G♭ and G♯/A♭
Altered notes on black keys of a piano, A♯/B♭, C♯/D♭, D♯/E♭, F♯/G♭ and G♯/A♭.

 
Some natural notes can be written using either ‘♯’ or ‘♭’ as well. B can be written as C♭. C can be written as B♯. E can be written as F♭. F can be written as E♯

A diagram showing notes on white keys of a piano keyboard, B/C♭, C/B♯, E/F♭ and F/E♯
Altered notes on white keys of a piano, B/C♭, C/B♯, E/F♭ and F/E♯.

 
These 12 music pitches are the building blocks that produce the arrangement of noise we perceive as music. When you orchestrate these 12 music pitches together correctly you can produce a sonic master piece that resonates emotionally with an audience.

What frequencies do these 12 notes produce?

The frequency each of the 12 pitches make depends on what the pitch note A is tuned to.
 

The frequency of 'A' doubles every octave above
The frequency of ‘A’ doubles every octave above.

 

Frequency range of a Guitar, Bass, Ukuleles, Banjo, Mandolin, Violin, Viola and Double Bass compared to a that of grand piano.
Pitch and frequency range of a grand piano, guitar, bass, ukulele, banjo, mandolin, violin, cello and viola. Click to enlarge.

 

A=432hz tuning pitch and frequencies for 88 key piano
Note Oc0 Oc1 Oc2 Oc3 Oc4 Oc5 Oc6 Oc7 Oc8
C – 32.11 64.22 128.43 256.87 513.74 1027.47 2054.95 4109.90
C♯/D♭ – 34.02 68.04 136.07 272.14 544.29 1088.57 2177.14 –
D – 36.04 72.08 144.16 288.33 576.65 1153.30 2306.60 –
D♯/E♭ – 38.18 76.37 152.74 305.47 610.94 1221.88 2443.76 –
E – 40.45 80.91 161.82 323.63 647.27 1294.54 2589.07 –
F – 42.86 85.72 171.44 342.88 685.76 1371.51 2743.03 –
F♯/G♭ – 45.41 90.82 181.63 363.27 726.53 1453.07 2906.14 –
G – 48.11 96.22 192.43 384.87 769.74 1539.47 3078.95 –
G♯/A♭ – 50.97 101.94 203.88 407.75 815.51 1631.01 3262.03 –
A 27.00 54.00 108.00 216.00 432.00 864.00 1728.00 3456.00 –
A♯/B♭ 28.61 57.21 114.42 228.84 457.69 915.38 1830.75 3661.50 –
B 30.31 60.61 121.23 242.45 484.90 969.81 1939.61 3879.23 –

 

A=440hz tuning pitch and frequencies for 88 key piano
Note Oc0 Oc1 Oc2 Oc3 Oc4 Oc5 Oc6 Oc7 Oc8
C – 32.70 65.41 130.81 261.63 523.25 1046.50 2093.00 4186.01
C♯/D♭ – 34.65 69.30 138.59 277.18 554.37 1108.73 2217.46 –
D – 36.71 73.42 146.83 293.66 587.33 1174.66 2349.32 –
D♯/E♭ – 38.89 77.78 155.56 311.13 622.25 1244.51 2489.02 –
E – 41.20 82.41 164.81 329.63 659.25 1318.51 2637.02 –
F – 43.65 87.31 174.61 349.23 698.46 1396.91 2793.83 –
F♯/G♭ – 46.25 92.50 185.00 369.99 739.99 1479.98 2959.96 –
G – 49.00 98.00 196.00 392.00 783.99 1567.98 3135.96 –
G♯/A♭ – 51.91 103.83 207.65 415.30 830.61 1661.22 3322.44 –
A 27.50 55.00 110.00 220.00 440.00 880.00 1760.00 3520.00 –
A♯/B♭ 29.14 58.27 116.54 233.08 466.16 932.33 1864.66 3729.31 –
B 30.87 61.74 123.47 246.94 493.88 987.77 1975.53 3951.07 –

 

A=444hz tuning pitch and frequencies for 88 key piano
Note Oc0 Oc1 Oc2 Oc3 Oc4 Oc5 Oc6 Oc7 Oc8
C – 33.00 66.00 132.00 264.00 528.01 1056.02 2112.03 4224.06
C♯/D♭ – 34.96 69.93 139.85 279.70 559.40 1118.81 2237.62 –
D – 37.04 74.08 148.17 296.33 592.67 1185.34 2370.67 –
D♯/E♭ – 39.24 78.49 156.98 313.96 627.91 1255.82 2511.64 –
E – 41.58 83.16 166.31 332.62 665.25 1330.50 2660.99 –
F – 44.05 88.10 176.20 352.40 704.81 1409.61 2819.22 –
F♯/G♭ – 46.67 93.34 186.68 373.36 746.72 1493.43 2986.86 –
G – 49.44 98.89 197.78 395.56 791.12 1582.24 3164.47 –
G♯/A♭ – 52.39 104.77 209.54 419.08 838.16 1676.32 3352.64 –
A 27.75 55.50 111.00 222.00 444.00 888.00 1776.00 3552.00 –
A♯/B♭ 29.40 58.80 117.60 235.20 470.40 940.80 1881.61 3763.21 –
B 31.15 62.30 124.59 249.19 498.37 996.75 1993.49 3986.99 –

How do frequencies we hear with our ears relate to color light frequencies we see with our eyes?

A diagram comparing 432hz, 440hz and 444hz tuning music pitches in color.
432hz, 440hz and 444hz tuning music pitches in color..