The euphonium’s range in notes and hertz
| Sounding | Frequency | |
|---|---|---|
| Extreme low | B0 | 30.87 Hz |
| Practical low | E2 | 82.41 Hz |
| Practical high | G4 | 392.00 Hz |
| Extreme high | D5 | 587.33 Hz |
E2 to G4 is the easy range. Soloists go down into the pedals and up to D5 and beyond. Euphonium parts come in bass clef at pitch or treble clef a ninth above the sound.
Written and sounding pitch
The euphonium reads at concert pitch in bass clef: a written note sounds as written, so the range above is both the sound and the page.
Instruments with a similar range
The instruments whose normal range shares the most notes with the euphonium’s:
- Cello · C2–A6 28 notes shared
- Guitar · E2–B5 28 notes shared
- 7-string guitar · B1–C♯6 28 notes shared
- 8-string guitar · F♯1–C♯6 28 notes shared
- Brazilian 7-string guitar · C2–B5 28 notes shared
- Baritone guitar · B1–B5 28 notes shared
Tune it, play it
- Euphonium tuner — tune by microphone, with the euphonium’s own target notes.
- Play an euphonium online — the same range, playable in your browser.
Songs that fit the euphonium
36 songs from our public-domain library fit inside the euphonium’s range, each written out in the notation euphonium players read:
- Hot Cross Buns
- Lightly Row
- Going Home (New World Largo)
- Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
- Happy Birthday
- Ode to Joy
- Mary Had a Little Lamb
- Row, Row, Row Your Boat
- Jingle Bells
- We Wish You a Merry Christmas
- Yankee Doodle
- Silent Night
Frequently asked questions
What is the range of an euphonium?
The euphonium’s normal range runs from E2 to G4 — 82.41 to 392.00 Hz, about 2.3 octaves. At the extremes it reaches B0–D5.
What is the lowest note on an euphonium?
B0 (30.87 Hz), on instruments that have it; the usual bottom is E2.
What is the highest note on an euphonium?
G4 is the top of the normal range, and D5 (587.33 Hz) is reachable at the extreme.