F5 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 | F5 | vs 440 |
|---|---|---|
| A4 = 415 Hz · Baroque pitch | 658.77 Hz | −101.3¢ |
| A4 = 432 Hz · “Verdi” pitch | 685.76 Hz | −31.8¢ |
| A4 = 440 Hz · Standard (ISO 16) | 698.46 Hz | — |
| A4 = 442 Hz · Orchestral | 701.63 Hz | +7.9¢ |
One cycle of F5 lasts 1.432 ms, and its wavelength in air at 20 °C is 49.1 cm. Hold it as a steady tone in the tone generator.
F5 on the piano
F5 is key 57 of 88, counting from the bottom — a white key. Press any key below to compare it with its neighbours.
F5 on the guitar
In standard tuning F5 is played in 2 places: 2nd (B) string, fret 18 and 1st (high E) string, fret 13. 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 F6.
F5 on the staff
Instruments that can play F5
42 instruments play F5 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.
Guitars and basses
Plucked and struck strings
Woodwind
Tuned percussion
Only at the extreme of their range
Voices: F5 is inside the typical range of the alto, mezzo-soprano and soprano. Test your own range.
The harmonics of F5
A played F5 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) | 698.46 Hz | F5 | 0¢ |
| 2 | 1396.9 Hz | F6 | 0¢ |
| 3 | 2095.4 Hz | C7 | +2.0¢ |
| 4 | 2793.8 Hz | F7 | 0¢ |
| 5 | 3492.3 Hz | A7 | −13.7¢ |
| 6 | 4190.7 Hz | C8 | +2.0¢ |
| 7 | 4889.2 Hz | E♭8 | −31.2¢ |
| 8 | 5587.7 Hz | F8 | 0¢ |
Frequently asked questions
What is the frequency of F5?
F5 is 698.46 Hz in equal temperament with A4 tuned to 440 Hz, the international standard. At A4 = 432 Hz it is 685.76 Hz, and at the orchestral A4 = 442 Hz it is 701.63 Hz.
Which octave is F5 in?
The number is the octave in scientific pitch notation, where each octave starts on C and C4 is middle C. F5 is in octave 5, 17 semitones above middle C. In Helmholtz notation, used in older books, it is written f″.
How do I play F5 on a piano?
F5 is key 57 of 88, counting from the bottom — a white key.
Which instruments can play F5?
42 of the instruments we chart play F5 within their normal range, including violin, viola, cello, erhu, guitar, and 3 more reach it only at the extreme of their range.
Typing it? F5 is also written F5. Convert any frequency on the Hz-to-note converter.