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Perfect 5th Intervals: Consecutive Fifths

If you start from Middle C and use a calculator to multiply each successive frequency by a ratio of 3:2 (the simple frequency ratio of the perfect 5th interval), you get the data in Table 12. (It’s theoretical, because the last note is well above the upper limit of human hearing. Way over the rainbow.)

TABLE 12 Consecutive Perfect 5th Intervals Going Up Seven Octaves

Note Frequency (Hz)
  • Middle C
  • G
  • D
  • A
  • E
  • B
  • F♯
  • C♯
  • G♯
  • D♯
  • A♯
  • F
  • C, seven octaves up from Middle C
  • 261.6
  • 392.4
  • 588.6
  • 882.9
  • 1,324.4
  • 1,986.5
  • 2,979.8
  • 4,469.7
  • 6,704.5
  • 10,056.8
  • 15,085.2
  • 22,627.8
  • 33,941.6

Now, just for fun (are you having fun?), try getting to that same C, seven octaves above Middle C, except do your leaps in octaves, instead of perfect fifths.

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