Pitch Notation & Octave Naming

Updated on 12/03/18

Pitch notation is a way to identify frequencies—notably, piano octave numbers—using letters, numbers, and/or symbols, allowing for the quick reference of a specific pitch. This lets you avoid having to explain a note by its position on the staff, or by its relative location on the keyboard. For example, instead of saying or writing "the C two octaves below middle C," you would use the notation C2.

Pitch Notation Systems

Scientific Pitch Notation labeled on the piano keyboard. — In each pitch-naming system, octaves start over on C; so each note after C1 is also followed by a 1 (D1, E1, and so on). The two notes on a piano keyboard that come *before* C1 are A0 and B0.
Brandy Kraemer

However, despite its goal of simplifying things, some confusion may arise with pitch notation because there are a few main systems in use. These are:

Scientific Pitch Notation (SPN)
American system, pictured above. Middle C is C4.
1. Full SPN keyboard
Helmholtz Pitch Notation
German system. Middle C is ci.
1. Full Helmholtz keyboard with variations
English Pitch Notation
Similar to Helmholtz but differs in the lower octaves. Middle C is c1.
1. Full English keyboard
Solfège Notation
Romance language system. Uses words and numbers to name notes. Middle C is do3.
1. Full solfège keyboard
MIDI Notation
Used to convert computer commands into musical pitch. Middle C is note #60.
1. Full MIDI-labeled keyboard

Pitch Class & Octave Names

Each octave begins on C; so C3 is in the third or “small octave,” and C4 is in the fourth or “one-line octave.”.

Brandy Kraemer

Pitch class simply refers to an octave from one C to the next. In pitch notation, the notes C4, D4, and B4 belong to the same pitch class, which is the fourth octave.

But, pitch notation is just one way of referencing notes. Each octave, as well as each C, has its own universal name. These are as follows:

Octave Names (pictured above):
C0 - B0: sub-contra octave (A0 is the lowest pitch on a full piano)
C1 - B1: contra octave
C2 - B2: great octave
C3 - B3: small octave
C4 - B4: one-line octave, or 2nd small octave (contains both middle C and A440)
C5 - B5: two-line octave, or 3rd small octave
C6 - B6: three-line octave, or 4th small octave
C7 - B7: four-line octave, or 5th small octave
C8 - B8: five-line octave, or 6th small octave (C8 is the highest pitch on a full piano)
Names of the C-Notes:
C0: triple pedal C
C1: double pedal C
C2: pedal C
C3: bass C
C4: middle C
C5: treble C
C6: top C or high C
C7: double top C or double high C
C8: triple top C or triple high C

All of the notes may be called out using these systems. F1 is also known as “contra F” or “double pedal F.”