F (musical note)

F is a musical note, the fourth above C. It is also known as fa in fixed-do solfège. It has enharmonic equivalents of E♯ and G, 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. See pitch (music) for a discussion of historical variations in frequency.

Designation by octave

Scientific designation	Helmholtz designation	Octave name	Frequency (Hz)
F₋₁	F͵͵͵ or ͵͵͵F or FFFF	Octocontra	10.913
F₀	F͵͵ or ͵͵F or FFF	Subcontra	21.827
F₁	F͵ or ͵F or FF	Contra	43.654
F₂	F	Great	87.307
F₃	f	Small	174.614
F₄	f′	One-lined	349.228
F₅	f′′	Two-lined	698.456
F₆	f′′′	Three-lined	1396.913
F₇	f′′′′	Four-lined	2793.826
F₈	f′′′′′	Five-lined	5587.652
F₉	f′′′′′′	Six-lined	11175.303
F₁₀	f′′′′′′′	Seven-lined	22350.607

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♯ 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 (E♯ and F♮ do not sound the same, except in some tunings that define the notes in that way).