Start with your device volume low. Very low tones may be inaudible on phone or laptop speakers; very high tones can be uncomfortable on headphones.
About E1
E1 has a frequency of 41.2 Hz in standard tuning, where A4 is fixed at 440 Hz. It is MIDI note 28 and key number 8 on an 88-key piano.
E1 is the lowest open string of a standard four-string bass guitar and of an orchestral double bass with no extension.
In equal temperament every semitone multiplies the frequency by the twelfth root of two (≈1.05946), so E1 is 41 semitones below A4: f = 440 × 2^((28 − 69) / 12) = 41.20 Hz. The number in the name is the octave in scientific pitch notation, which starts each octave on C.
E1 frequency in different tunings
| Tuning reference | E1 frequency |
|---|---|
| A4 = 440 Hz (ISO 16 standard) | 41.2 Hz |
| A4 = 442 Hz (many European orchestras) | 41.39 Hz |
| A4 = 443 Hz (Berlin, Vienna) | 41.48 Hz |
| A4 = 435 Hz (French diapason normal, 1859) | 40.74 Hz |
| A4 = 432 Hz (alternative tuning) | 40.45 Hz |
| A4 = 415 Hz (Baroque pitch) | 38.86 Hz |
| C4 = 256 Hz (scientific pitch) | 40.32 Hz |
Intervals from E1
| Interval | Note | Frequency | Ratio (just) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minor second | F1 | 43.65 Hz | 16:15 |
| Major second | F♯1 | 46.25 Hz | 9:8 |
| Minor third | G1 | 49 Hz | 6:5 |
| Major third | G♯1 | 51.91 Hz | 5:4 |
| Perfect fourth | A1 | 55 Hz | 4:3 |
| Tritone | A♯1 | 58.27 Hz | 45:32 |
| Perfect fifth | B1 | 61.74 Hz | 3:2 |
| Minor sixth | C2 | 65.41 Hz | 8:5 |
| Major sixth | C♯2 | 69.3 Hz | 5:3 |
| Minor seventh | D2 | 73.42 Hz | 9:5 |
| Major seventh | D♯2 | 77.78 Hz | 15:8 |
| Octave | E2 | 82.41 Hz | 2:1 |
Instruments and voices that can play E1
Frequently asked questions
What is the frequency of E1?
E1 is 41.2 Hz when A4 = 440 Hz (40.45 Hz if A4 = 432 Hz).
What MIDI number is E1?
E1 is MIDI note number 28.
Is E1 on a piano?
Yes – it is key 8 of 88.