F (musical note)

F is a musical note, the fourth above C or fifth below C. It is the fourth note and the sixth semitone of the solfège. It is also known as fa in fixed-do solfège.^[1] It is enharmonic equivalent with E♯ (E-sharp)^[2] and G (G-double flat),^[3] amongst others.

When calculated in equal temperament with a reference of A above middle C as 440 Hz, the frequency of Middle F (F₄) is approximately 349.228 Hz.^[4] See pitch (music) for a discussion of historical variations in frequency.

Designation by octave

Scientific designation	Helmholtz designation	Octave name	Frequency (Hz)	MIDI note number
F−1	F͵͵͵ or ͵͵͵F or FFFF	Octocontra	10.913	5
F0	F͵͵ or ͵͵F or FFF	Subcontra	21.827	17
F1	F͵ or ͵F or FF	Contra	43.654	29
F2	F	Great	87.307	41
F3	f	Small	174.614	53
F4	f′	One-lined	349.228	65
F5	f′′	Two-lined	698.456	77
F6	f′′′	Three-lined	1396.913	89
F7	f′′′′	Four-lined	2793.826	101
F8	f′′′′′	Five-lined	5587.652	113
F9	f′′′′′′	Six-lined	11175.303	125
F10	f′′′′′′′	Seven-lined	22350.607	N/A

Scales

Common scales beginning on F

• F major: F G A B♭ C D E F
• F natural minor: F G A♭ B♭ C D♭ E♭ F
• F harmonic minor: F G A♭ B♭ C D♭ E F
• F melodic minor ascending: F G A♭ B♭ C D E F
• F melodic minor descending: F E♭ D♭ C B♭ A♭ G F

Diatonic scales

• F Ionian: F G A B♭ C D E F
• F Dorian: F G A♭ B♭ C D E♭ F
• F Phrygian: F G♭ A♭ B♭ C D♭ E♭ F
• F Lydian: F G A B C D E F
• F Mixolydian: F G A B♭ C D E♭ F
• F Aeolian: F G A♭ B♭ C D♭ E♭ F
• F Locrian: F G♭ A♭ B♭ C♭ D♭ E♭ F

Jazz melodic minor

• F ascending melodic minor: F G A♭ B♭ C D E F
• F Dorian ♭2: F G♭ A♭ B♭ C D E♭ F
• F Lydian augmented: F G A B C♯ D E F
• F Lydian dominant: F G A B C D E♭ F
• F Mixolydian ♭6: F G A B♭ C D♭ E♭ F
• F Locrian ♮2: F G A♭ B♭ C♭ D♭ E♭ F
• F altered: F G♭ A♭ B C♭ D♭ E♭ F

E-sharp

E♯ (German: Eis)^[5] is a common enharmonic equivalent of F, but is not regarded as the same note. E♯ is commonly found before F♯ in the same measure in pieces where F♯ is in the key signature, in order to represent a diatonic, rather than a chromatic semitone; writing an F♮ with a following F♯ is regarded as a chromatic alteration of one scale degree. Though E♯ and F♮ sound the same in any 12-tone temperament, other tunings may define them as distinct pitches.