E5: frequency and where to play it

E5 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.

One cycle of E5 lasts 1.517 ms, and its wavelength in air at 20 °C is 52.0 cm. Hold it as a steady tone in the tone generator.

E5 on the piano

E5 is key 56 of 88, counting from the bottom — a white key. Press any key below to compare it with its neighbours.

E5 on the guitar

In standard tuning E5 is played in 2 places: 2nd (B) string, fret 17 and 1st (high E) string, fret 12. 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 E6.

E5 on the staff

Instruments that can play E5

43 instruments play E5 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.

Only at the extreme of their range

• Bass clarinet
• Trombone

Voices: E5 is inside the typical range of the alto, mezzo-soprano and soprano. Test your own range.

The harmonics of E5

A played E5 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.

Frequently asked questions

Typing it? E5 is also written E5. Convert any frequency on the Hz-to-note converter.