E Note Frequency in Every Octave
E runs from E0 at 20.60 Hz to E8 at 5274.0 Hz across the nine octaves of the chart. For guitarists two of them matter most: the low E string is E2 at 82.41 Hz and the high E string is E4 at 329.63 Hz, exactly two octaves and a factor of four apart. The table below lists every E with its MIDI number, piano key and the name it gets in Yamaha-convention software, followed by every open string tuned to an E.
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E in all 9 octaves
Every E from E0 to E8 at A4 = 440 Hz. Each name links to the full page for that note, with its tuning references, harmonics and intervals. The last column is the label the same key gets in software that calls middle C by the name C3.
| Note | Hz | MIDI | Piano key | Yamaha name |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| E0 | 20.60 | 16 | off the piano | E-1 |
| E1 | 41.20 | 28 | 8 | E0 |
| E2Guitar low E | 82.41 | 40 | 20 | E1 |
| E3 | 164.81 | 52 | 32 | E2 |
| E4Guitar high E | 329.63 | 64 | 44 | E3 |
| E5 | 659.26 | 76 | 56 | E4 |
| E6 | 1318.5 | 88 | 68 | E5 |
| E7 | 2637.0 | 100 | 80 | E6 |
| E8 | 5274.0 | 112 | off the piano | E7 |
Moving up one row doubles the frequency and moving down halves it. The 88-key piano runs from A0 to C8, so rows marked off the piano can only be played electronically.
Which E is the guitar's low E and high E?
Standard guitar tuning is E2, A2, D3, G3, B3 and E4 from the thick low string to the thin high string. The 6th string (low e) is E2 at 82.41 Hz, MIDI note 40, and the 1st string (high e) is E4 at 329.63 Hz, MIDI note 64. Two octaves is a frequency ratio of four, so 329.63 Hz is four times 82.41 Hz.
On a piano the same pitches are key 20 (E2) and key 44 (E4). The keyboard carries 7 Es, from E1 at 41.20 Hz to E7 at 2637.0 Hz.
Why is E4 called E3 in some apps?
The MIDI specification fixes middle C as note number 60 but never says what to call the octave it sits in, so manufacturers picked different names for the same pitch. Scientific pitch notation, the convention this site uses, calls middle C by the name C4, and Roland chose the same labelling. Yamaha labelled note 60 as C3 instead, and plenty of DAWs and synths follow Yamaha. A few older programs call middle C by the name C5.
So E4 here, MIDI note 64 at 329.63 Hz, can read E3 on another screen. The pitch never changes, only the label: if your software shows every E one octave lower than the table above, it uses the Yamaha convention, and you convert by adding one to the octave number. When you need certainty, compare MIDI numbers or frequencies. The note frequency chart prints the MIDI number under every value for the same reason.
Which instruments have an open E string?
11 open strings in the TuneStand tuner registry are tuned to a E, from E1 up to E5.
| Instrument | String | Note | Hz |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5-String Bass | 4th string (E) | E1 | 41.20 |
| Bass Guitar | 4th string (Low E) | E1 | 41.20 |
| Double Bass | E string | E1 | 41.20 |
| 7-String Guitar | 6th string (E) | E2 | 82.41 |
| Guitar | 6th string (Low E) | E2 | 82.41 |
| 7-String Guitar | 1st string (High E) | E4 | 329.63 |
| Baritone Ukulele | 1st string (High E) | E4 | 329.63 |
| Guitar | 1st string (High E) | E4 | 329.63 |
| Ukulele | 2nd string (E) | E4 | 329.63 |
| Mandolin | 1st course (E) | E5 | 659.26 |
| Violin | E string | E5 | 659.26 |
Frequently asked questions
What frequency is the low E string on a guitar?
The low E string is E2 at 82.41 Hz in standard tuning with A4 at 440 Hz. It is MIDI note 40; Yamaha-convention software labels it E1.
What frequency is the high E string on a guitar?
The high E string is E4 at 329.63 Hz, two octaves above the low E. It is MIDI note 64 and the same pitch as key 44 of an 88-key piano.
Are the two E strings on a guitar the same note?
They have the same letter name but not the same pitch. E2 and E4 are two octaves apart, so the high E vibrates four times as fast: 329.63 Hz against 82.41 Hz.
What is the frequency of E in every octave?
At A4 = 440 Hz: E0 20.60 Hz, E1 41.20 Hz, E2 82.41 Hz, E3 164.81 Hz, E4 329.63 Hz, E5 659.26 Hz, E6 1318.5 Hz, E7 2637.0 Hz, E8 5274.0 Hz. Each octave doubles the frequency of the one below.
Related notes and tools
Frequencies on this page are computed at build time from twelve tone equal temperament with A4 = 440 Hz, using the twelfth root of two (about 1.059463) per semitone. Nothing is typed in by hand. See the full method and sources. Maintained by FusionStudios. Last reviewed: .