A♭3 at every common reference pitch
A note’s frequency depends on what A4 is tuned to. The standard is 440 Hz; the other three are the ones you are most likely to meet. The cents column is how far each one sits from the 440 version — the same for every note, because changing the reference moves the whole scale together.
| Reference | A♭3 | vs 440 |
|---|---|---|
| A4 = 415 Hz · Baroque pitch | 195.85 Hz | −101.3¢ |
| A4 = 432 Hz · “Verdi” pitch | 203.88 Hz | −31.8¢ |
| A4 = 440 Hz · Standard (ISO 16) | 207.65 Hz | — |
| A4 = 442 Hz · Orchestral | 208.60 Hz | +7.9¢ |
One cycle of A♭3 lasts 4.816 ms, and its wavelength in air at 20 °C is 1.65 m. Hold it as a steady tone in the tone generator.
A♭3 on the piano
A♭3 is key 36 of 88, counting from the bottom — the black key between G and A. Press any key below to compare it with its neighbours.
A♭3 on the guitar
In standard tuning A♭3 is played in 4 places: 6th (low E) string, fret 16, 5th (A) string, fret 11, 4th (D) string, fret 6 and 3rd (G) string, fret 1. The same pitch in each place, with a different tone: lower strings sound warmer. Guitar music is written an octave higher than it sounds, so on a guitar part this note is printed as A♭4.
A♭3 on the staff
Instruments that can play A♭3
42 instruments play A♭3 within the normal range, and 2 reach it only at the extreme of theirs. Each links to its range chart; for a transposing instrument, the note on its part is shown.
Guitars and basses
Plucked and struck strings
Woodwind
Brass
Only at the extreme of their range
Voices: A♭3 is inside the typical range of the bass, baritone, tenor and alto. Test your own range.
The harmonics of A♭3
A played A♭3 is not one frequency. A string or a pipe also sounds whole-number multiples of it, and the mix of those harmonics is the instrument’s tone. Here is where the first eight land — and why the 7th sounds out of tune against a piano.
| Harmonic | Frequency | Nearest note | Off by |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 (fundamental) | 207.65 Hz | A♭3 | 0¢ |
| 2 | 415.30 Hz | A♭4 | 0¢ |
| 3 | 622.96 Hz | E♭5 | +2.0¢ |
| 4 | 830.61 Hz | A♭5 | 0¢ |
| 5 | 1038.3 Hz | C6 | −13.7¢ |
| 6 | 1245.9 Hz | E♭6 | +2.0¢ |
| 7 | 1453.6 Hz | F♯6 | −31.2¢ |
| 8 | 1661.2 Hz | A♭6 | 0¢ |
Frequently asked questions
What is the frequency of A♭3?
A♭3 is 207.65 Hz in equal temperament with A4 tuned to 440 Hz, the international standard. At A4 = 432 Hz it is 203.88 Hz, and at the orchestral A4 = 442 Hz it is 208.60 Hz.
Is A♭3 the same note as G♯3?
On a piano, a guitar or a tuner, yes: A♭3 and G♯3 are the same key and the same frequency, 207.65 Hz, in equal temperament. They are two names for one pitch (enharmonic equivalents). Which one is written depends on the key — sharps in sharp keys, flats in flat keys — and a string or wind player may pitch them a few cents apart when playing in just intonation.
How do I play A♭3 on a piano?
A♭3 is key 36 of 88, counting from the bottom — the black key between G and A.
Which instruments can play A♭3?
42 of the instruments we chart play A♭3 within their normal range, including violin, viola, cello, guitar, 7-string guitar, and 2 more reach it only at the extreme of their range.
Typing it? A♭3 is also written Ab3 or G#3. Convert any frequency on the Hz-to-note converter.