B♭3 — 233.082 Hz
B♭3 (B-flat 3) is 233.082 Hz in standard equal temperament at A=440 Hz. It is MIDI note number 58. This is the flat spelling of this pitch — see also A♯3.
B♭ is the tonic of B♭ major (2 flats) and is the single most common accidental in Western music, appearing as the first flat in any flat key signature.
B♭3 Frequency in All Tuning Systems
| Temperament | Frequency (Hz) | Cents from Equal | Common Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Equal Temperament | 233.082 Hz | 0.00 | Modern standard; piano, fretted instruments |
| Pythagorean Tuning | 231.769 Hz | -9.78 | Medieval/early music; string ensemble open fifths |
| Just / Pure | 235.463 Hz | +17.60 | A cappella vocal, barbershop, Renaissance |
| Meantone 1/3 Comma | 236.128 Hz | +22.48 | Renaissance vocal music in minor keys |
| Meantone 1/4 Comma | 235.397 Hz | +17.11 | Renaissance keyboard, early Baroque organ |
| 1/6 SC - Attenuated | 234.666 Hz | +11.73 | Baroque orchestral ensemble compromise |
| Kellner's Bach | 234.348 Hz | +9.38 | Bach keyboard reconstruction |
| Kirnberger III | 234.467 Hz | +10.26 | Classical-era keyboard, keys near C major |
| Vallotti | 233.874 Hz | +5.87 | Baroque/Classical orchestral tuning |
| Werckmeister III | 234.666 Hz | +11.73 | Baroque keyboard; Bach contemporaries |
| Werckmeister IV | 234.402 Hz | +9.78 | Baroque keyboard, strong key contrast |
| Werckmeister V | 233.609 Hz | +3.91 | Specialized Baroque keyboard |
Positive cents = sharper than equal temperament. Negative cents = flatter. 100 cents = 1 semitone.
B♭3 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) | 233.082 Hz | US, UK, and most modern ensembles worldwide |
| A = 442 Hz | 234.141 Hz | Many European orchestras; France, Germany |
| A = 443 Hz | 234.671 Hz | Berlin Philharmonic; some US orchestras |
| A = 432 Hz | 228.844 Hz | Alternative tuning; Baroque revival |
| A = 415 Hz (Baroque) | 219.839 Hz | Historically-informed Baroque performance |
f = f_at_A440 × (concert_pitch / 440)
Instruments That Play B♭3
B♭3 (233.082 Hz) falls within the comfortable playing range of 50 instruments.
B♭3 and A♯3 — Enharmonic Equivalents
B♭3 and A♯3 are enharmonic equivalents — they sound identical at 233.082 Hz but are written differently depending on the musical context.
When to Write B♭3
B♭ is the tonic of B♭ major (2 flats) and is the single most common accidental in Western music, appearing as the first flat in any flat key signature.
B♭ is overwhelmingly preferred over A♯ in standard notation. As the first flat in the flat-key order (B♭, E♭, A♭, D♭, G♭, C♭, F♭), it appears in F major onward. Jazz, pop, and orchestral music virtually always spell this note as B♭. Even in sharp-side contexts, many publishers prefer B♭ for readability.
Major scales containing B♭3: F major (4th), B♭ major (tonic), E♭ major (5th), A♭ major (2nd).
Minor scales containing B♭3: G minor (3rd), D minor (6th), C minor (7th).
B♭3 in Instrument Literature
B♭ is the transposition interval for B♭ clarinet, B♭ trumpet, and tenor saxophone — they read C but sound B♭. It is arguably the single most important note for concert band and wind ensemble repertoire. Trombonists and tuba players read B♭ constantly in their native flat keys.
In fixed-do solfège, B♭ is sung as "te" (♭7). In B♭ major with moveable do, it is "do" (the tonic). In F major, it is "fa" (the 4th degree).
How A♯3 Differs in Context
While A♯3 sounds identical to B♭3, it belongs to a different set of keys and carries different harmonic implications.
A♯3: A♯ is the leading tone in B major and appears as a key-signature accidental only in sharp keys with 5 or more sharps.
Major scales: B major (7th / leading tone), F♯ major (3rd), C♯ major (6th).
Minor scales: D♯ minor (5th), A♯ minor (tonic), G♯ minor (2nd).
String players encounter A♯ primarily in B major and F♯ major. Pianists see it in heavily sharped key signatures. A♯ is relatively rare in wind and brass literature, where the same pitch is almost always written as B♭.
Enharmonic equivalents share the same frequency in equal temperament. In historical temperaments like Pythagorean or meantone, they may differ slightly — see the temperament comparison table above for this note's exact deviations.
Why B♭3 Varies Across Tuning Systems
B♭3 shows a maximum deviation of +22.48 cents in Meantone 1/3 Comma compared to equal temperament. This 22-cent difference is clearly audible to trained musicians and reflects how different tuning philosophies prioritize interval purity over equal distribution.
In Meantone 1/3 Comma, B♭3 is tuned sharper than equal temperament to achieve purer intervals with nearby notes in the tuning system's favored keys.
6 of the 15 non-equal temperaments deviate by more than 10 cents for B♭3, making this note one where tuning system choice has a meaningful impact on pitch.
B♭3 Across All Tuning Systems
Explore how B♭3 is tuned in each historical temperament system. Each tuning system gives B♭3 a slightly different frequency, affecting the harmonic character of chords and melodies.
B♭3 in Historical Temperament Systems
Explore how B♭3 (233.082 Hz in equal temperament) is tuned in each of the 15 historical non-equal temperament systems. Each system places B♭3 at a slightly different frequency based on its mathematical basis.
Tune B♭3 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.
