The oboe’s range in notes and hertz
Some student oboes have no low B♭ key and stop at B3. The top is not fixed; G6 is the commonly accepted limit.
Written and sounding pitch
The oboe reads at concert pitch in treble 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 oboe’s:
- Violin · G3–E7 34 notes shared
- Viola · C3–D7 34 notes shared
- Cello · C2–A6 34 notes shared
- Mandolin · G3–D7 34 notes shared
- Harp · C2–A6 34 notes shared
- Alto flute · G3–G6 34 notes shared
Tune it, play it
- Oboe tuner — tune by microphone, with the oboe’s own target notes.
Frequently asked questions
What is the range of an oboe?
The oboe’s normal range runs from B♭3 to G6 — 233.08 to 1568.0 Hz, about 2.8 octaves. At the extremes it reaches B♭3–A6.
What is the lowest note on an oboe?
B♭3 (233.08 Hz).
What is the highest note on an oboe?
G6 is the top of the normal range, and A6 (1760.0 Hz) is reachable at the extreme.