What frequency is A♭?

At the standard reference of A = 440 Hz, A♭4 is 415.3 Hz, A♭3 is 207.7 Hz and A♭2 is 103.8 Hz. Each octave doubles or halves the frequency. At A = 442 every A♭ is about 0.8% higher.

Which instruments tune to A♭?

No common instrument has an open string on A♭, so a A♭ drone is used for practice rather than tuning: hold it under A♭ scales, arpeggios and sustained notes to check your intonation in that key.

Which octave of A♭ should I use?

The one nearest what you play. Cello, bass and guitar sit comfortably against A♭2 or A♭3; violin, viola, voice and most wind instruments against A♭3 or A♭4. A lower drone is easier to hear beating against; a higher one is closer to a melody line.

How do I practise intonation with a A♭ drone?

Start the drone, play A♭ yourself and adjust until the wavering (beating) disappears. Then play the A♭/G♯ major scale slowly, listening for each note to lock in against the drone — the fifth and the octave should sound perfectly still, the third and seventh will pull. Add the fifth to the drone for a fuller reference chord.

A♭ / G♯ Tuning Drone — Play a Sustained A♭ (415.3 Hz)

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A♭ / G♯ tuning drone — what it is for

The A♭ drone has no open string on the common instruments, so an A♭ or G♯ drone is mostly for practising scales, arpeggios and singing in those keys — awkward keys are exactly where a drone earns its place.

At the standard A = 440 Hz, A♭4 is 415.3 Hz; each octave down halves that (A♭3 is 207.7 Hz, A♭2 is 103.8 Hz) and each octave up doubles it (A♭5 is 830.6 Hz). Orchestras that tune to A = 442 hear every A♭ a little higher — the table below gives both.

Press Play drone above and tune or play against A♭: match the pitch until the beating disappears, then hold long notes, scales and intervals over it. Pick the octave nearest your instrument — A♭2 or A♭3 for cello, bass and guitar, A♭3 or A♭4 for violin, voice and winds — and add the fifth for a fuller reference.

A♭ in every octave

Frequencies in hertz at the three reference pitches you are likely to meet: baroque A = 415, the standard A = 440, and A = 442 used by many orchestras.

Note	A = 415	A = 440	A = 442
A♭1	48.96 Hz	51.91 Hz	52.15 Hz
A♭2	97.93 Hz	103.8 Hz	104.3 Hz
A♭3	195.9 Hz	207.7 Hz	208.6 Hz
A♭4	391.7 Hz	415.3 Hz	417.2 Hz
A♭5	783.4 Hz	830.6 Hz	834.4 Hz
A♭6	1566.8 Hz	1661.2 Hz	1668.8 Hz

Instruments tuned to A♭

No common instrument has an open string on A♭, so this drone is for practice rather than tuning: scales, arpeggios and long tones in A♭ major or minor, with the drone as the reference your ear checks every note against.

Scales to practise over a A♭ drone

Each opens on the scale finder, lit up on the keyboard, so you can hear the notes before you play them against the drone.

Frequently asked questions

What frequency is A♭?: At the standard reference of A = 440 Hz, A♭4 is 415.3 Hz, A♭3 is 207.7 Hz and A♭2 is 103.8 Hz. Each octave doubles or halves the frequency. At A = 442 every A♭ is about 0.8% higher.
Which instruments tune to A♭?: No common instrument has an open string on A♭, so a A♭ drone is used for practice rather than tuning: hold it under A♭ scales, arpeggios and sustained notes to check your intonation in that key.
Which octave of A♭ should I use?: The one nearest what you play. Cello, bass and guitar sit comfortably against A♭2 or A♭3; violin, viola, voice and most wind instruments against A♭3 or A♭4. A lower drone is easier to hear beating against; a higher one is closer to a melody line.
How do I practise intonation with a A♭ drone?: Start the drone, play A♭ yourself and adjust until the wavering (beating) disappears. Then play the A♭/G♯ major scale slowly, listening for each note to lock in against the drone — the fifth and the octave should sound perfectly still, the third and seventh will pull. Add the fifth to the drone for a fuller reference chord.