B♭6 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♭6 | vs 440 |
|---|---|---|
| A4 = 415 Hz · Baroque pitch | 1758.7 Hz | −101.3¢ |
| A4 = 432 Hz · “Verdi” pitch | 1830.8 Hz | −31.8¢ |
| A4 = 440 Hz · Standard (ISO 16) | 1864.7 Hz | — |
| A4 = 442 Hz · Orchestral | 1873.1 Hz | +7.9¢ |
One cycle of B♭6 lasts 536.3 µs, and its wavelength in air at 20 °C is 18.4 cm. Hold it as a steady tone in the tone generator.
B♭6 on the piano
B♭6 is key 74 of 88, counting from the bottom — the black key between A and B. Press any key below to compare it with its neighbours.
B♭6 on the guitar
B♭6 is above the highest fret of any standard guitar, so a guitar in standard tuning cannot play it.
B♭6 on the staff
Instruments that can play B♭6
13 instruments play B♭6 within the normal range, and 3 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.
Plucked and struck strings
Tuned percussion
Only at the extreme of their range
B♭6 is outside the typical range of all six voice types. Test your own range.
The harmonics of B♭6
A played B♭6 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) | 1864.7 Hz | B♭6 | 0¢ |
| 2 | 3729.3 Hz | B♭7 | 0¢ |
| 3 | 5594.0 Hz | F8 | +2.0¢ |
| 4 | 7458.6 Hz | B♭8 | 0¢ |
| 5 | 9323.3 Hz | D9 | −13.7¢ |
| 6 | 11,188 Hz | F9 | +2.0¢ |
| 7 | 13,053 Hz | A♭9 | −31.2¢ |
| 8 | 14,917 Hz | B♭9 | 0¢ |
Frequently asked questions
What is the frequency of B♭6?
B♭6 is 1864.7 Hz in equal temperament with A4 tuned to 440 Hz, the international standard. At A4 = 432 Hz it is 1830.8 Hz, and at the orchestral A4 = 442 Hz it is 1873.1 Hz.
Is B♭6 the same note as A♯6?
On a piano, a guitar or a tuner, yes: B♭6 and A♯6 are the same key and the same frequency, 1864.7 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♭6 on a piano?
B♭6 is key 74 of 88, counting from the bottom — the black key between A and B.
Which instruments can play B♭6?
13 of the instruments we chart play B♭6 within their normal range, including violin, viola, erhu, mandolin, flute, and 3 more reach it only at the extreme of their range.
Typing it? B♭6 is also written Bb6 or A#6. Convert any frequency on the Hz-to-note converter.