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Pitch and Frequency: Converting Between Frequency and Pitch. Let's Make A Table of Frequencies and Pitches

This document discusses the relationship between pitch and frequency. It provides a table that shows how frequency in Hz corresponds to MIDI pitch numbers using a base frequency of 440 Hz. The general formula given is that the frequency corresponding to a pitch p is f = 440 × 2^(p-69)/12 Hz. It also discusses how to convert from a given frequency to the corresponding pitch using logarithms. Intervals between pitches are described as differences in pitch rather than frequency ratios.

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El Mamoun Layal
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194 views3 pages

Pitch and Frequency: Converting Between Frequency and Pitch. Let's Make A Table of Frequencies and Pitches

This document discusses the relationship between pitch and frequency. It provides a table that shows how frequency in Hz corresponds to MIDI pitch numbers using a base frequency of 440 Hz. The general formula given is that the frequency corresponding to a pitch p is f = 440 × 2^(p-69)/12 Hz. It also discusses how to convert from a given frequency to the corresponding pitch using logarithms. Intervals between pitches are described as differences in pitch rather than frequency ratios.

Uploaded by

El Mamoun Layal
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Sounding Number

Dr. Rachel Hall

Pitch and Frequency

Converting between frequency and pitch. Let’s make a table of frequencies and pitches,
using MIDI numbers:

frequency pitch
−4
440 · 2 27.5 Hz 21 69 − 4 · 12
440 · 2−3 55 Hz 33 69 − 3 · 12
440 · 2−2 110 Hz 45 69 − 2 · 12
440 · 2−1 220 Hz 57 69 − 1 · 12
440 · 20 440 Hz 69 69 + 0 · 12
440 · 21 880 Hz 81 69 + 1 · 12
440 · 22 1760 Hz 93 69 + 2 · 12
440 · 23 3520 Hz 105 69 + 3 · 12

This conversion table suggests that the frequency 440 · 2x Hz corresponds to MIDI pitch
number 69 + 12x. In fact, this relationship is valid even if x is not a whole number. For
example, let’s calculate the frequency for pitch 60 (middle C). First, we ind the value of x.
Since pitch = 60 = 69 + 12x, x = −9/12 = −3/4. Then

frequency = 440 · 2x = 440 · 2−3/4 ≈ 261.63 Hz.

Checking on the piano chart, we see that the frequency of middle C is indeed 261.63 Hz.
The general pitch-to-frequency conversion formula is

the frequency corresponding to pitch p is f = 440 · 2(p−69)/12 Hz.

In order to convert from frequency to pitch, we need a way to write any given frequency f in
the form 440 · 2x (that is, we need to ind x in terms of f ). Since f /440 = 2x , x is the
exponent of 2 that produces (f /440). This exponent is called the logarithm base 2 of (f /440)
and written
x = log2 (f /440).

The general frequency-to-pitch conversion formula is

the pitch corresponding to frequency f is p = 69 + 12 log2 (f /440).

Note: most calculators don’t compute log2 directly, so you have to use the fact that
log2 x = log x/ log 2.
Example. Approximate the pitch corresponding to 660 Hz to two decimal places.

p = 69 + 12 log2 (660/440)
= 69 + 12 log(3/2)/ log(2) ≈ 76.02

E 10. Approximate to two decimal places

1. the frequency of pitch 72 4. the pitch of the lowest hearable frequency

2. the pitch of 1000 Hz 5. the pitch of the highest hearable frequency

3. the frequency of pitch 1 6. the pitch that is two ifths above 440 Hz

Intervals in pitch. We’ve de ined intervals such as octaves and ifths as being ratios of
frequencies. When we measure pitch, intervals are differences in pitch. For example, if a
frequency corresponds to pitch p, then the frequency an octave above it corresponds to pitch
(12 + p). Let’s calculate the difference in pitch between frequencies f and rf (think of r as
the ratio):

(69 + 12 log2 (rf /440)) − (69 + 12 log2 (f /440)) = 12(log2 (rf /440) − log2 (f /440)).

To simplify this expression, we need to use the fact that if A and B are positive numbers,
log(A · B) = log A + log B and log(A/B) = log A − log B. Therefore,

The interval in pitch from frequency f to frequency rf is 12 log2 (r).

For example, an octave, measured in pitch, is 12 log2 (2) = 12. What is the pitch value of a
ifth?
Answers to Exercises.
E 6.

1. n = 2; m = 3; frequency = 4. n = 0; m = 12; frequency =


22 (3/2)3 440 = 5940 Hz. 20 (3/2)12 100 = 12975 Hz.

5. n = 7; m = 0; frequency =
2. n = 2; m = 3; frequency =
27 (3/2)0 100 = 12800 Hz.
2−2 (3/2)−3 440 = 32.59 Hz.
6. n = −7; m = 12; frequency =
3. n = 1; m = −1; frequency = 2−7 (3/2)1 2100 = 101.36 Hz. You would
21 (3/2)−1 440 = 586 23 Hz. hear beats at a rate of 1.36 Hz.

E 10.

1. 523.25 Hz 4. 15.49

2. 83.21 5. 135.08

3. 8.66 Hz 6. 69 + 12 log2 (9/4) ≈ 83.04

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