The playback reference
ChordLilt uses twelve-tone equal temperament with A4 equal to 440 Hz. Successive semitones multiply frequency by the twelfth root of two. Moving twelve semitones therefore doubles frequency, which is an octave.
This convention makes equal-tempered enharmonic names share a sounding pitch. It does not make their notation interchangeable in every context, and it is not a claim that every musical tradition or ensemble uses the same tuning.
Pitch classes and actual pitches
A note name without an octave identifies a pitch class in these tools. A note with an octave identifies a specific register: A3 is 220 Hz, A4 is 440 Hz and A5 is 880 Hz under the stated reference.
The octave number follows the written letter name. C4 is middle C in this naming system. Read the full pitch list when checking an inversion, a melody direction or a fretboard position; several locations can share a letter while sounding in different octaves.
Standard guitar tuning
The guitar tools use six-string standard tuning. From the lowest string to the highest, the open pitches are E2, A2, D3, G3, B3 and E4. String 6 is low E and string 1 is high E. The displayed map places high E at the top.
Most adjacent strings are a perfect fourth apart; G3 to B3 is a major third. A repeated visual pattern may therefore shift when it crosses that pair. Fret 12 is one octave above the open string.
| String | Open pitch | Pitch at fret 12 |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | E2 | E3 |
| 5 | A2 | A3 |
| 4 | D3 | D4 |
| 3 | G3 | G4 |
| 2 | B3 | B4 |
| 1 | E4 | E5 |
What the reference does not do
The tools calculate and play reference pitches. They do not use a microphone, detect a string’s frequency or adjust your instrument. A displayed fretboard is a map of pitches for the stated tuning, not an automatic tuner or a recommendation for every fingering.
If your instrument uses a capo or another tuning, the standard open-string labels may not describe its sounding pitches. Use the map only when the tuning matches, and verify the actual notes before applying an exercise.
Make a useful comparison
Choose one clearly labeled pitch and compare it with the same register on your instrument. Keep the playback volume comfortable. If the sounds differ, first confirm the note name, octave and output setup rather than changing the scale or chord quality.
Keep the tuning caption in exported reference sheets. It tells another reader which assumptions the diagram uses, even if they open the file away from the site.
Sources and methods
- Enharmonic notes
- Standard tuning: how EADGBE came to be
- Web Audio API 1.1
- ChordLilt product contract
Put it into practice.
Explore these notes and relationships in the interactive tools.