B8 — 7902.133 Hz
B8 (B8) is 7902.133 Hz in standard equal temperament at A=440 Hz. It is MIDI note number 119.
B8 Frequency in All Tuning Systems
| Temperament | Frequency (Hz) | Cents from Equal | Common Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Equal Temperament | 7902.133 Hz | 0.00 | Modern standard; piano, fretted instruments |
| Pythagorean | 7920.000 Hz | +3.91 | Medieval/early music; string ensemble open fifths |
| Just Intonation (Major) | 7848.767 Hz | -11.73 | A cappella vocal, barbershop, Renaissance |
| Just Intonation (Minor) | 7848.767 Hz | -11.73 | Minor-key vocal music, string ensembles |
| Quarter-Comma Meantone | 7870.928 Hz | -6.85 | Renaissance keyboard, early Baroque organ |
| Third-Comma Meantone | 7857.618 Hz | -9.78 | Renaissance vocal music in minor keys |
| Sixth-Comma Meantone | 7879.844 Hz | -4.89 | Baroque orchestral ensemble compromise |
| Werckmeister III | 7893.192 Hz | -1.96 | Baroque keyboard; Bach contemporaries |
| Werckmeister IV | 7875.385 Hz | -5.87 | Baroque keyboard, strong key contrast |
| Werckmeister V | 7911.084 Hz | +1.96 | Specialized Baroque keyboard |
| Kirnberger III | 7886.538 Hz | -3.42 | Classical-era keyboard, keys near C major |
| Vallotti | 7884.306 Hz | -3.91 | Baroque/Classical orchestral tuning |
| Young (1799) | 7893.192 Hz | -1.96 | Classical-era keyboard |
| Bach/Lehman | 7893.192 Hz | -1.96 | Bach keyboard works, Well-Tempered Clavier |
| Neidhardt | 7893.192 Hz | -1.96 | 18th century keyboard, near-equal alternative |
| Kellner (Bach) | 7887.859 Hz | -3.13 | Bach keyboard reconstruction |
Positive cents = sharper than equal temperament. Negative cents = flatter. 100 cents = 1 semitone.
B8 at Different Concert Pitches
The same note varies in frequency depending on the concert pitch standard used by your ensemble.
| Concert Pitch | Frequency (Hz) | Common Usage |
|---|---|---|
| A = 440 Hz (ISO standard) | 7902.133 Hz | US, UK, and most modern ensembles worldwide |
| A = 442 Hz | 7938.052 Hz | Many European orchestras; France, Germany |
| A = 443 Hz | 7956.011 Hz | Berlin Philharmonic; some US orchestras |
| A = 432 Hz | 7758.458 Hz | Alternative tuning; Baroque revival |
| A = 415 Hz (Baroque) | 7453.148 Hz | Historically-informed Baroque performance |
f = f_at_A440 × (concert_pitch / 440)
Instruments That Play B8
B8 (7902.133 Hz) falls within the comfortable playing range of 1 instrument.
Why B8 Varies Across Tuning Systems
B8 shows a maximum deviation of -11.73 cents in Just Intonation (Major) compared to equal temperament. This 12-cent difference reflects how different tuning philosophies prioritize interval purity over equal distribution.
In Just Intonation (Major), B8 is tuned flatter than equal temperament, reflecting this system's approach to distributing the Pythagorean comma across the chromatic scale.
2 of the 15 non-equal temperaments deviate by more than 10 cents for B8, making this note one where tuning system choice has a meaningful impact on pitch.
B8 Across All Tuning Systems
Explore how B8 is tuned in each historical temperament system. Each tuning system gives B8 a slightly different frequency, affecting the harmonic character of chords and melodies.
Tune B8 with precision — Get Tunable.
Tunable supports 15+ tuning systems including equal temperament, Pythagorean, just intonation, and historical well-temperaments. See exact Hz values in real-time as you play.