Chord Frequency Analyzer
Find the exact frequency of any note in a chord given a root pitch, chord type, inversion, and octave. Use it when tuning synthesizers, analyzing harmony, or building custom temperaments.
Last updated: September 2026
Formula below · 2 sources (aes.org, Wikipedia) · Updated Sep 2026
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About this calculator
Every musical note corresponds to a specific frequency in Hz. When you build a chord, each additional note sits at a precise frequency ratio above the root. This calculator returns the chord's third (or, for suspended chords, the note that replaces it) in just intonation: result = rootFreq × octave × ratio, where the ratio is 5:4 = 1.25 for major, augmented and dominant 7th chords, 6:5 = 1.20 for minor and diminished chords, 9:8 = 1.125 for sus2 and 4:3 ≈ 1.333 for sus4. An inversion changes which chord tone is in the bass, not the pitch of the third, so the Inversion setting does not change the result. A standard A4 root at 440 Hz in major with no inversion and octave multiplier 1 yields 440 × 1 × 1.25 × 1 = 550 Hz, which is approximately C#5. Understanding these ratios helps musicians, producers, and sound designers dial in precise harmonic relationships between oscillators and samples.
How to use
Suppose you want the third of an A major chord. Set Root Note Frequency to 440 Hz, Chord Type to major (factor = 1.25), Inversion to 0, and Octave Multiplier to 1. The calculation is: 440 × 1 × 1.25 × 2^(0/12) = 440 × 1.25 × 1 = 550 Hz. For A minor the third is 440 × 1.2 = 528 Hz, and for Asus4 the fourth is 440 × 4/3 ≈ 586.7 Hz. This tells you exactly where to tune a just-intonation synth voice or verify a sample pitch.
Frequently asked questions
What does the inversion parameter do in a chord frequency calculator?
An inversion puts a different chord tone in the bass: in first inversion the third is the lowest note, in second inversion the fifth. The notes themselves keep their pitch classes; the root is simply moved up an octave. So the third's frequency does not change, and this calculator returns the same value for every inversion. To find the frequency of the root after it moves up an octave, double the root frequency.
How are major and minor chord frequency ratios different from each other?
In this calculator, a major chord applies a frequency factor of 1.25 (a just-intonation major third ratio of 5:4), while a minor chord uses 1.20 (close to a minor third ratio of 6:5). The difference of 0.05 in the multiplier translates to audible differences in brightness and tension. Major chords sound brighter because their third sits slightly higher in frequency relative to the root than a minor third does. These ratios approximate just intonation rather than strict equal temperament, which can be useful for pure synthesis or acoustic analysis.
When should I use a chord frequency analyzer instead of a standard pitch chart?
A standard pitch chart only lists fixed note frequencies for equal temperament. A chord frequency analyzer lets you combine a custom root frequency, chord quality, inversion, and octave multiplier in one step — essential when working with non-standard tunings, microtonality, or synthesizers tuned away from A440. It is particularly useful for sound designers layering oscillators, producers checking sample tuning, and music theorists studying harmonic series relationships. Any time your root pitch deviates from the standard chromatic scale, a dynamic calculator is far more practical than a static table.