Gb1 — 46.249 Hz
Gb1 (G-flat 1) is 46.249 Hz in standard equal temperament at A=440 Hz. It is MIDI note number 30.
Gb1 Frequency in All Tuning Systems
| Temperament | Frequency (Hz) | Cents from Equal | Common Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Equal Temperament | 46.249 Hz | 0.00 | Modern standard; piano, fretted instruments |
| Pythagorean | 46.406 Hz | +5.87 | Medieval/early music; string ensemble open fifths |
| Just Intonation (Major) | 45.989 Hz | -9.76 | A cappella vocal, barbershop, Renaissance |
| Just Intonation (Minor) | 45.989 Hz | -9.76 | Minor-key vocal music, string ensembles |
| Quarter-Comma Meantone | 45.976 Hz | -10.25 | Renaissance keyboard, early Baroque organ |
| Third-Comma Meantone | 45.885 Hz | -13.68 | Renaissance vocal music in minor keys |
| Sixth-Comma Meantone | 46.067 Hz | -6.83 | Baroque orchestral ensemble compromise |
| Werckmeister III | 46.249 Hz | 0.00 | Baroque keyboard; Bach contemporaries |
| Werckmeister IV | 46.041 Hz | -7.80 | Baroque keyboard, strong key contrast |
| Werckmeister V | 46.249 Hz | 0.00 | Specialized Baroque keyboard |
| Kirnberger III | 46.275 Hz | +0.97 | Classical-era keyboard, keys near C major |
| Vallotti | 46.249 Hz | 0.00 | Baroque/Classical orchestral tuning |
| Young (1799) | 46.249 Hz | 0.00 | Classical-era keyboard |
| Bach/Lehman | 46.302 Hz | +1.98 | Bach keyboard works, Well-Tempered Clavier |
| Neidhardt | 46.249 Hz | 0.00 | 18th century keyboard, near-equal alternative |
| Kellner (Bach) | 46.228 Hz | -0.79 | Bach keyboard reconstruction |
Positive cents = sharper than equal temperament. Negative cents = flatter. 100 cents = 1 semitone.
Gb1 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) | 46.249 Hz | US, UK, and most modern ensembles worldwide |
| A = 442 Hz | 46.460 Hz | Many European orchestras; France, Germany |
| A = 443 Hz | 46.565 Hz | Berlin Philharmonic; some US orchestras |
| A = 432 Hz | 45.408 Hz | Alternative tuning; Baroque revival |
| A = 415 Hz (Baroque) | 43.622 Hz | Historically-informed Baroque performance |
f = f_at_A440 × (concert_pitch / 440)
Instruments That Play Gb1
Gb1 (46.249 Hz) falls within the comfortable playing range of 11 instruments.
Gb1 and F#1 — Enharmonic Equivalents
Gb1 and F#1 are enharmonic equivalents — they sound identical at 46.249 Hz but are written differently depending on the musical context.
Gb1: G♭ appears as the tonic of G♭ major (6 flats) and in flat key signatures. Common key signatures: G♭ major, D♭ major, C♭ major.
F#1: F♯ appears in sharp key signatures starting from G major (1 sharp) onward. Common key signatures: G major, D major, A major, E major, B major, F♯ major.
Enharmonic equivalents share the same frequency in equal temperament. In historical temperaments like Pythagorean or meantone, they may differ slightly.
Why Gb1 Varies Across Tuning Systems
Gb1 shows a maximum deviation of -13.68 cents in Third-Comma Meantone compared to equal temperament. This 14-cent difference reflects how different tuning philosophies prioritize interval purity over equal distribution.
In Third-Comma Meantone, Gb1 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 Gb1, making this note one where tuning system choice has a meaningful impact on pitch.
Gb1 Across All Tuning Systems
Explore how Gb1 is tuned in each historical temperament system. Each tuning system gives Gb1 a slightly different frequency, affecting the harmonic character of chords and melodies.
Tune Gb1 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.