Cents calculator
A cent is a hundredth of an equal-tempered semitone, 1/1200 of an octave. Use the first mode to see how many cents apart two frequencies are, the second to shift a frequency by a number of cents, and the third to measure a ratio such as 3:2 or 5:4.
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Frequently asked questions
What is a cent?
A logarithmic unit of pitch: 100 cents make an equal-tempered semitone and 1200 cents an octave. Because it is logarithmic, the same number of cents sounds like the same step at any pitch, whereas the same number of hertz does not.
How do you calculate cents between two frequencies?
cents = 1200 × log₂(f2 ÷ f1). From 440 Hz to 466.16 Hz: 466.16 ÷ 440 = 1.059455, log₂ of that is 0.0833218, × 1200 = 99.99 cents, almost exactly one semitone. A negative result means the second frequency is lower.
How do I shift a frequency by some cents?
Multiply by 2^(cents ÷ 1200). 440 Hz raised by 100 cents is 440 × 2^(1/12) = 466.164 Hz; lowered by 1200 cents it is 220 Hz.
How many cents is a just fifth or third?
3:2 is 701.955 cents, 1.955 cents wider than the tempered fifth; 5:4 is 386.314 cents, 13.686 cents narrower than the tempered major third. The ratio mode shows that distance to the nearest semitone.
How many cents can people hear?
It depends on the person, the sound and whether the tones are heard together or one after the other. Two tones a few cents apart played together beat audibly; tuners commonly show a needle in steps of 1 cent.