B♭2 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 | B♭2 | vs 440 |
|---|---|---|
| A4 = 415 Hz · Baroque pitch | 109.92 Hz | −101.3¢ |
| A4 = 432 Hz · “Verdi” pitch | 114.42 Hz | −31.8¢ |
| A4 = 440 Hz · Standard (ISO 16) | 116.54 Hz | — |
| A4 = 442 Hz · Orchestral | 117.07 Hz | +7.9¢ |
One cycle of B♭2 lasts 8.581 ms, and its wavelength in air at 20 °C is 2.94 m. Hold it as a steady tone in the tone generator.
B♭2 on the piano
B♭2 is key 26 of 88, counting from the bottom — the black key between A and B. Press any key below to compare it with its neighbours.
B♭2 on the guitar
In standard tuning B♭2 is played in 2 places: 6th (low E) string, fret 6 and 5th (A) 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 B♭3.
B♭2 on the staff
Instruments that can play B♭2
25 instruments play B♭2 within the normal range. Each links to its range chart; for a transposing instrument, the note on its part is shown.
Bowed strings
Guitars and basses
Woodwind
Keyboards and free reeds
Voices: B♭2 is inside the typical range of the bass and baritone. Test your own range.
The harmonics of B♭2
A played B♭2 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) | 116.54 Hz | B♭2 | 0¢ |
| 2 | 233.08 Hz | B♭3 | 0¢ |
| 3 | 349.62 Hz | F4 | +2.0¢ |
| 4 | 466.16 Hz | B♭4 | 0¢ |
| 5 | 582.70 Hz | D5 | −13.7¢ |
| 6 | 699.25 Hz | F5 | +2.0¢ |
| 7 | 815.79 Hz | A♭5 | −31.2¢ |
| 8 | 932.33 Hz | B♭5 | 0¢ |
Frequently asked questions
What is the frequency of B♭2?
B♭2 is 116.54 Hz in equal temperament with A4 tuned to 440 Hz, the international standard. At A4 = 432 Hz it is 114.42 Hz, and at the orchestral A4 = 442 Hz it is 117.07 Hz.
Is B♭2 the same note as A♯2?
On a piano, a guitar or a tuner, yes: B♭2 and A♯2 are the same key and the same frequency, 116.54 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 B♭2 on a piano?
B♭2 is key 26 of 88, counting from the bottom — the black key between A and B.
Which instruments can play B♭2?
25 of the instruments we chart play B♭2 within their normal range, including cello, double bass, guitar, 7-string guitar, 8-string guitar.
Typing it? B♭2 is also written Bb2 or A#2. Convert any frequency on the Hz-to-note converter.