C5 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 | C5 | vs 440 |
|---|---|---|
| A4 = 415 Hz · Baroque pitch | 493.52 Hz | −101.3¢ |
| A4 = 432 Hz · “Verdi” pitch | 513.74 Hz | −31.8¢ |
| A4 = 440 Hz · Standard (ISO 16) | 523.25 Hz | — |
| A4 = 442 Hz · Orchestral | 525.63 Hz | +7.9¢ |
One cycle of C5 lasts 1.911 ms, and its wavelength in air at 20 °C is 65.6 cm. Hold it as a steady tone in the tone generator.
C5 on the piano
C5 is key 52 of 88, counting from the bottom — a white key. Press any key below to compare it with its neighbours.
C5 on the guitar
In standard tuning C5 is played in 3 places: 3rd (G) string, fret 17, 2nd (B) string, fret 13 and 1st (high E) string, fret 8. 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 C6.
C5 on the staff
Instruments that can play C5
44 instruments play C5 within the normal range, and 5 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
Tuned percussion
Only at the extreme of their range
Voices: C5 is inside the typical range of the tenor, alto, mezzo-soprano and soprano. Test your own range.
The harmonics of C5
A played C5 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) | 523.25 Hz | C5 | 0¢ |
| 2 | 1046.5 Hz | C6 | 0¢ |
| 3 | 1569.8 Hz | G6 | +2.0¢ |
| 4 | 2093.0 Hz | C7 | 0¢ |
| 5 | 2616.3 Hz | E7 | −13.7¢ |
| 6 | 3139.5 Hz | G7 | +2.0¢ |
| 7 | 3662.8 Hz | B♭7 | −31.2¢ |
| 8 | 4186.0 Hz | C8 | 0¢ |
Frequencies that land on C5
Frequently asked questions
What is the frequency of C5?
C5 is 523.25 Hz in equal temperament with A4 tuned to 440 Hz, the international standard. At A4 = 432 Hz it is 513.74 Hz, and at the orchestral A4 = 442 Hz it is 525.63 Hz.
Which octave is C5 in?
The number is the octave in scientific pitch notation, where each octave starts on C and C4 is middle C. C5 is in octave 5, 12 semitones above middle C. In Helmholtz notation, used in older books, it is written c″.
How do I play C5 on a piano?
C5 is key 52 of 88, counting from the bottom — a white key.
Which instruments can play C5?
44 of the instruments we chart play C5 within their normal range, including violin, viola, cello, erhu, guitar, and 5 more reach it only at the extreme of their range.
Typing it? C5 is also written C5. Convert any frequency on the Hz-to-note converter.