Small octave
The small octave covers the notes C3 to B3, written in the older German system with lower-case letters and no stroke. It lies directly below the one-line octave with middle C. Three of the six open guitar strings sound in it.
- Range
- C3 to B3
- Older notation
- lower-case letters: c, d, e …
- Above it
- One-line octave
- Below it
- Great octave
- Scientific
- C3 to B3
Lower-case letters, no stroke
The page Reading music numbers the octave registers (C3, C4, C5). In the older German system, which you meet in German-language books, they run like this: the great octave is written with capital letters (C, D, E …) and counted as the low register, the small octave with lower-case letters (c, d, e …), the one-line octave with one stroke. In the scientific system, used here, it is written C3 to B3. The C of the small octave lies an octave below middle C.
The small octave
From C3 to B3. D, G and B are marked: they are the notes of the open D, G and B strings of the guitar.
Where the guitar lies
The frequencies of the open strings are given on the page Tools: 82.41 / 110.00 / 146.83 / 196.00 / 246.94 / 329.63 Hz. If you assign them to the octave registers, the D, G and B strings lie in the small octave.
| Open string | Frequency | Octave |
|---|---|---|
| E (low sixth string) | 82.41 Hz | great octave |
| A | 110.00 Hz | great octave |
| D | 146.83 Hz | small octave |
| G | 196.00 Hz | small octave |
| B | 246.94 Hz | small octave |
| E (high first string) | 329.63 Hz | one-line octave |
The assignment refers to the sound. The symbol library points out that guitar music is notated sometimes with and sometimes without the small 8 under the treble clef, and in both cases sounds an octave lower than written.
Continue on Maikstrings
Related terms
One-line octaveGreat octaveOctaveStandard pitchClef
Editor: Maik Krohm · reviewed on 3 October 2026
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