Online English Horn Tuner
English horn, or cor anglais, is a double-reed instrument in F. It sounds a perfect fifth below written pitch: written C4 sounds F3, at 174.61 Hz with A4 = 440 Hz. This page opens with the F transposition already selected.
Written notes and concert pitch
English horn in F sounds a perfect fifth below written pitch: C4 sounds F3, at 174.61 Hz with A4 = 440 Hz. The display shows written notes and actual Hz. The table uses scientific pitch notation: C4 is middle C and A4 is the 440 Hz reference A. Frequencies describe the sound in equal temperament; changing the reference A scales all the frequency values.
| Written note | Concert pitch | Frequency (Hz) |
|---|---|---|
| C4 | F3 | 174.61 |
| D4 | G3 | 196.00 |
| A4 | D4 | 293.66 |
How to use it
- Prepare your reed as taught and warm up the English horn for a few minutes.
- Enable the microphone, confirm the F setting and select your ensemble’s reference A.
- Sustain a comfortable note without vibrato and read the display after the attack settles.
- Compare other notes; review reed and tone production with your teacher if a tendency persists.
Help and explanations
The displayed note follows your part while the frequency in Hz describes the actual sound. Prepare your reed, warm up the instrument and sustain notes without vibrato to compare intonation against your orchestra or ensemble’s chosen reference pitch.
Find concert A in your written part
To produce concert A4, play written E5 on English horn in F. With A4 = 440 Hz, the microphone measures 440 Hz while the transposed note display reads E5. Always establish whether your conductor is asking for a written note or a concert note before comparing pitches. Despite its name, English horn belongs to the oboe family; it is distinct from French horn, a brass instrument.
Reed, air and temperature
Measure with the reed you intend to use in rehearsal and with the instrument warmed up. Changes in resistance, temperature and tone production affect stability. A needle reading is not an instruction to scrape a reed or pull it out at random; specific adjustments should follow your teacher or manufacturer.
Tips
- Agree the reference pitch in Hz before tuning with the orchestra.
- Compare long tones at a comfortable dynamic without vibrato.
- Check again once the instrument is fully warmed up.
Frequently asked questions
Does English horn transpose like oboe?
No. Ordinary oboe is in C; English horn is in F and sounds a fifth lower. This page uses F to display the note as written in your part.
Which written note gives concert A4?
Written E5 gives sounding A4. At a 440 Hz reference, the frequency should be near 440 while the note display shows E5.
Why do the displayed note and Hz seem different?
The name is transposed to follow an F part. The frequency remains the actual sound captured by your microphone, not the frequency of the written note.
Should I pull out the reed to tune?
Keep the correct assembly for your instrument. One reading does not identify an adjustment; check warm-up, reed and tone production with suitable guidance.