Kulture Lab / Free music tools
Semitone Calculator
Choose two pitches. See how far apart they are.
Middle C = C4 = MIDI 60 here. Check MIDI numbers when another app uses different octave labels.
From
To
7 semitones up
Frequency ratio: 1.4983×
MIDI 60 → 67
What happens to a sample’s BPM?
Enter the original BPM to see the new tempo.
Applies when changing playback speed with pitch preservation/key lock OFF. A pitch-preserving time stretch behaves differently.
Free to use. No account needed. Works in your browser.
Calculate the distance between two notes
A semitone is the distance between neighbouring keys on a piano, counting both white and black keys. This calculator compares two notes with their octaves and shows the signed pitch change. A positive number means move up; a negative number means move down.
How to use the semitone calculator
- Choose the starting note and octave.
- Choose the target note and octave.
- Read the number of semitones or hear the two pitches in order.
Examples of pitch changes
C4 to G4 is seven semitones up. C4 to C5 is twelve semitones up, or one octave. A4 to G4 is two semitones down. Press Swap notes to reverse the direction. This tool uses C4 for middle C; some DAWs use a different octave label.
What does the frequency ratio mean?
In equal temperament, the ratio is 2^(semitones/12). An octave up has a ratio of 2, so the target frequency is twice the starting frequency. An octave down has a ratio of 0.5. Seven semitones up is approximately 1.4983 times the starting frequency.
If you change playback speed without preserving pitch, frequency and speed change by the same ratio. A pitch-shifting effect can change pitch while preserving duration. Open the sample BPM option and enter the original tempo to calculate the playback-speed change. For example, moving a 120 BPM sample from A4 down to G4 gives approximately 106.91 BPM when pitch preservation is off. This calculator only gives reference values; it does not process an audio file.
For a whole chord progression, use the chord transposer. For an exact frequency in hertz, open the note-to-frequency calculator.