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. It has enharmonic equivalents of E♯ (E-sharp) and G (G-double flat), 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.

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♯ (Eis) 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.