MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) is a standard that lets digital instruments and software communicate. Instead of sending actual sound, MIDI transmits data that tells devices which notes are being played, so they can synchronize together.
MIDI software and hardware often label Middle C differently, which can cause confusion. In music theory, Middle C (the C key near the center of an 88-key keyboard) is usually called "C4," but the General MIDI standard labels it as "C3," and some instrument manufacturers even use "C5."
If you need help mapping your instrument to Melodics, this advanced guide provides an easy reference to compare note names, MIDI values, frequencies, and the General MIDI map for drums.
MIDI note value | Hex value | MIDI drums | Key number (88 keys, middle C = C4) | Note names (middle C = C3) | Note names (middle C = C4) | Note names (middle C = C5) | Frequency (equal tuning at 440 Hz) |
127 | 7F |
|
| G8 | G9 | G10 | 12543.85 |
126 | 7E |
|
| F#8/Gb8 | F#9/Gb9 | F#10/Gb10 | 11839.82 |
125 | 7D |
|
| F8 | F9 | F10 | 11175.3 |
124 | 7C |
|
| E8 | E9 | E10 | 10548.08 |
123 | 7B |
|
| D#8/Eb8 | D#9/Eb9 | D#10/Eb10 | 9956.06 |
122 | 7A |
|
| D8 | D9 | D10 | 9397.27 |
121 | 79 |
|
| C#8/Db8 | C#9/Db9 | C#10/Db10 | 8869.84 |
120 | 78 |
|
| C8 | C9 | C10 | 8372.02 |
119 | 77 |
|
| B7 | B8 | B9 | 7902.13 |
118 | 76 |
|
| A#7/Bb7 | A#8/Bb8 | A#9/Bb9 | 7458.62 |
117 | 75 |
|
| A7 | A8 | A9 | 7040 |
116 | 74 |
|
| G#7/Ab7 | G#8/Ab8 | G#9/Ab9 | 6644.88 |
115 | 73 |
|
| G7 | G8 | G9 | 6271.93 |
114 | 72 |
|
| F#7/Gb7 | F#8/Gb8 | F#9/Gb9 | 5919.91 |
113 | 71 |
|
| F7 | F8 | F9 | 5587.65 |
112 | 70 |
|
| E7 | E8 | E9 | 5274.04 |
111 | 6F |
|
| D#7/Eb7 | D#8/Eb8 | D#9/Eb9 | 4978.03 |
110 | 6E |
|
| D7 | D8 | D9 | 4698.64 |
109 | 6D |
|
| C#7/Db7 | C#8/Db8 | C#9/Db9 | 4434.92 |
108 | 6C |
| 88 | C7 | C8 | C9 | 4186.01 |
107 | 6B |
| 87 | B6 | B7 | B8 | 3951.07 |
106 | 6A |
| 86 | A#6/Bb6 | A#7/Bb7 | A#8/Bb8 | 3729.31 |
105 | 69 |
| 85 | A6 | A7 | A8 | 3520 |
104 | 68 |
| 84 | G#6/Ab6 | G#7/Ab7 | G#8/Ab8 | 3322.44 |
103 | 67 |
| 83 | G6 | G7 | G8 | 3135.96 |
102 | 66 |
| 82 | F#6/Gb6 | F#7/Gb7 | F#8/Gb8 | 2959.96 |
101 | 65 |
| 81 | F6 | F7 | F8 | 2793.83 |
100 | 64 |
| 80 | E6 | E7 | E8 | 2637.02 |
99 | 63 |
| 79 | D#6/Eb6 | D#7/Eb7 | D#8/Eb8 | 2489.02 |
98 | 62 |
| 78 | D6 | D7 | D8 | 2349.32 |
97 | 61 |
| 77 | C#6/Db6 | C#7/Db7 | C#8/Db8 | 2217.46 |
96 | 60 |
| 76 | C6 | C7 | C8 | 2093 |
95 | 5F |
| 75 | B5 | B6 | B7 | 1975.53 |
94 | 5E |
| 74 | A#5/Bb5 | A#6/Bb6 | A#7/Bb7 | 1864.66 |
93 | 5D |
| 73 | A5 | A6 | A7 | 1760 |
92 | 5C |
| 72 | G#5/Ab5 | G#6/Ab6 | G#7/Ab7 | 1661.22 |
91 | 5B |
| 71 | G5 | G6 | G7 | 1567.98 |
90 | 5A |
| 70 | F#5/Gb5 | F#6/Gb6 | F#7/Gb7 | 1479.98 |
89 | 59 |
| 69 | F5 | F6 | F7 | 1396.91 |
88 | 58 |
| 68 | E5 | E6 | E7 | 1318.51 |
87 | 57 |
| 67 | D#5/Eb5 | D#6/Eb6 | D#7/Eb7 | 1244.51 |
86 | 56 |
| 66 | D5 | D6 | D7 | 1174.66 |
85 | 55 |
| 65 | C#5/Db5 | C#6/Db6 | C#7/Db7 | 1108.73 |
84 | 54 |
| 64 | C5 | C6 | C7 | 1046.5 |
83 | 53 |
| 63 | B4 | B5 | B6 | 987.77 |
82 | 52 |
| 62 | A#4/Bb4 | A#5/Bb5 | A#6/Bb6 | 932.33 |
81 | 51 | Open Triangle | 61 | A4 | A5 | A6 | 880 |
80 | 50 | Mute Triangle | 60 | G#4/Ab4 | G#5/Ab5 | G#6/Ab6 | 830.61 |
79 | 4F | Open Cuica | 59 | G4 | G5 | G6 | 783.99 |
78 | 4E | Mute Cuica | 58 | F#4/Gb4 | F#5/Gb5 | F#6/Gb6 | 739.99 |
77 | 4D | Low Woodblock | 57 | F4 | F5 | F6 | 698.46 |
76 | 4C | High Woodblock | 56 | E4 | E5 | E6 | 659.26 |
75 | 4B | Claves | 55 | D#4/Eb4 | D#5/Eb5 | D#6/Eb6 | 622.25 |
74 | 4A | Long Guiro | 54 | D4 | D5 | D6 | 587.33 |
73 | 49 | Short Guiro | 53 | C#4/Db4 | C#5/Db5 | C#6/Db6 | 554.37 |
72 | 48 | Long Whistle | 52 | C4 | C5 | C6 | 523.25 |
71 | 47 | Short Whistle | 51 | B3 | B4 | B5 | 493.88 |
70 | 46 | Maracas | 50 | A#3/Bb3 | A#4/Bb4 | A#5/Bb5 | 466.16 |
69 | 45 | Cabasa | 49 | A3 | A4 | A5 | 440 |
68 | 44 | Low Agogô | 48 | G#3/Ab3 | G#4/Ab4 | G#5/Ab5 | 415.3 |
67 | 43 | High Agogô | 47 | G3 | G4 | G5 | 392 |
66 | 42 | Low Timbale | 46 | F#3/Gb3 | F#4/Gb4 | F#5/Gb5 | 369.99 |
65 | 41 | High Timbale | 45 | F3 | F4 | F5 | 349.23 |
64 | 40 | Low Conga | 44 | E3 | E4 | E5 | 329.63 |
63 | 3F | Open High Conga | 43 | D#3/Eb3 | D#4/Eb4 | D#5/Eb5 | 311.13 |
62 | 3E | Mute High Conga | 42 | D3 | D4 | D5 | 293.66 |
61 | 3D | Low Bongo | 41 | C#3/Db3 | C#4/Db4 | C#5/Db5 | 277.18 |
60 | 3C | High Bongo | 40 | C3 (Middle C) | C4 (middle C) | C5 (middle C) | 261.63 |
59 | 3B | Ride Cymbal 2 / Ride Edge | 39 | B2 | B3 | B4 | 246.94 |
58 | 3A | Vibraslap | 38 | A#2/Bb2 | A#3/Bb3 | A#4/Bb4 | 233.08 |
57 | 39 | Crash Cymbal 2 | 37 | A2 | A3 | A4 | 220 |
56 | 38 | Cowbell | 36 | G#2/Ab2 | G#3/Ab3 | G#4/Ab4 | 207.65 |
55 | 37 | Splash Cymbal / Crash Edge | 35 | G2 | G3 | G4 | 196 |
54 | 36 | Tambourine | 34 | F#2/Gb2 | F#3/Gb3 | F#4/Gb4 | 185 |
53 | 35 | Ride Bell | 33 | F2 | F3 | F4 | 174.61 |
52 | 34 | Chinese Cymbal / Crash Edge2 | 32 | E2 | E3 | E4 | 164.81 |
51 | 33 | Ride Cymbal 1 | 31 | D#2/Eb2 | D#3/Eb3 | D#4/Eb4 | 155.56 |
50 | 32 | High Tom | 30 | D2 | D3 | D4 | 146.83 |
49 | 31 | Crash Cymbal 1 | 29 | C#2/Db2 | C#3/Db3 | C#4/Db4 | 138.59 |
48 | 30 | Hi-Mid Tom | 28 | C2 | C3 | C4 | 130.81 |
47 | 2F | Low-Mid Tom | 27 | B1 | B2 | B3 | 123.47 |
46 | 2E | Open Hi-hat | 26 | A#1/Bb1 | A#2/Bb2 | A#3/Bb3 | 116.54 |
45 | 2D | Low Tom | 25 | A1 | A2 | A3 | 110 |
44 | 2C | Pedal Hi-hat | 24 | G#1/Ab1 | G#2/Ab2 | G#3/Ab3 | 103.83 |
43 | 2B | High Floor Tom | 23 | G1 | G2 | G3 | 98 |
42 | 2A | Closed Hi-hat | 22 | F#1/Gb1 | F#2/Gb2 | F#3/Gb3 | 92.5 |
41 | 29 | Low Floor Tom | 21 | F1 | F2 | F3 | 87.31 |
40 | 28 | Electric Snare / Snare Rim | 20 | E1 | E2 | E3 | 82.41 |
39 | 27 | Hand Clap | 19 | D#1/Eb1 | D#2/Eb2 | D#3/Eb3 | 77.78 |
38 | 26 | Acoustic Snare | 18 | D1 | D2 | D3 | 73.42 |
37 | 25 | Side Stick | 17 | C#1/Db1 | C#2/Db2 | C#3/Db3 | 69.3 |
36 | 24 | Electric Bass Drum | 16 | C1 | C2 | C3 | 65.41 |
35 | 23 | Acoustic Bass Drum | 15 | B0 | B1 | B2 | 61.74 |
34 | 22 |
| 14 | A#0/Bb0 | A#1/Bb1 | A#2/Bb2 | 58.27 |
33 | 21 |
| 13 | A0 | A1 | A2 | 55 |
32 | 20 |
| 12 | G#/Ab0 | G#1/Ab1 | G#2/Ab2 | 51.91 |
31 | 1F |
| 11 | G0 | G1 | G2 | 49 |
30 | 1E |
| 10 | F#/Gb0 | F#1/Gb1 | F#2/Gb2 | 46.25 |
29 | 1D |
| 9 | F0 | F1 | F2 | 43.65 |
28 | 1C |
| 8 | E0 | E1 | E2 | 41.2 |
27 | 1B |
| 7 | D#/Eb0 | D#1/Eb1 | D#2/Eb2 | 38.89 |
26 | 1A | (open hi-hat edge) | 6 | D0 | D1 | D2 | 36.71 |
25 | 19 |
| 5 | C#/Db0 | C#1/Db1 | C#2/Db2 | 34.65 |
24 | 18 |
| 4 | C0 | C1 | C2 | 32.7 |
23 | 17 |
| 3 | B-1 | B0 | B1 | 30.87 |
22 | 16 | (closed hi-hat edge) | 2 | A#/Bb-1 | A#0/Bb0 | A#1/Bb1 | 29.14 |
21 | 15 |
| 1 | A-1 | A0 | A1 | 27.5 |
20 | 14 |
|
| G#/Ab-1 | G#/Ab0 | G#1/Ab1 | 25.96 |
19 | 13 |
|
| G-1 | G0 | G1 | 24.5 |
18 | 12 |
|
| F#/Gb-1 | F#/Gb0 | F#1/Gb1 | 23.12 |
17 | 11 |
|
| F-1 | F0 | F1 | 21.83 |
16 | 10 |
|
| E-1 | E0 | E1 | 20.6 |
15 | F |
|
| D#/Eb-1 | D#/Eb0 | D#1/Eb1 | 19.45 |
14 | E |
|
| D-1 | D0 | D1 | 18.35 |
13 | D |
|
| C#/Db-1 | C#/Db0 | C#1/Db1 | 17.32 |
12 | C |
|
| C-1 | C0 | C1 | 16.35 |
11 | B |
|
| B-2 | B-1 | B0 | 15.43 |
10 | A |
|
| A#/Bb-2 | A#/Bb-1 | A#0/Bb0 | 14.57 |
9 | 9 |
|
| A-2 | A-1 | A0 | 13.75 |
8 | 8 |
|
| G#/Ab-2 | G#/Ab-1 | G#/Ab0 | 12.98 |
7 | 7 |
|
| G-2 | G-1 | G0 | 12.25 |
6 | 6 |
|
| F#/Gb-2 | F#/Gb-1 | F#/Gb0 | 11.56 |
5 | 5 |
|
| F-2 | F-1 | F0 | 10.91 |
4 | 4 |
|
| E-2 | E-1 | E0 | 10.3 |
3 | 3 |
|
| D#/Eb-2 | D#/Eb-1 | D#/Eb0 | 9.72 |
2 | 2 |
|
| D-2 | D-1 | D0 | 9.18 |
1 | 1 |
|
| C#/Bb-2 | C#/Db-1 | C#/Db0 | 8.66 |
0 | 0 |
|
| C-2 | C-1 | C0 | 8.18 |