VIC-20 Improved Notes Table

Reference Manual Table

The following table shows the note values from the reference manual (just the first octave), the expected frequency if the progression would be according to the scales (with the first note being the base frequency), the actual frequency and the error. Anything off more than one percent is highlighted.

Note	Low	Expected (Hz)	Actual (Hz)	Error %
C1	135	36.083	36.083	0.000 %
C#1	143	38.229	38.661	1.129 %
D1	147	40.502	40.093	1.011 %
D#1	151	42.911	41.635	2.973 %
E1	159	45.462	45.104	0.787 %
F1	163	48.165	47.065	2.284 %
F#1	167	51.030	49.205	3.576 %
G1	175	54.064	54.125	0.113 %
G#1	179	57.279	56.974	0.533 %
A1	183	60.685	60.139	0.899 %
A#1	187	64.293	63.676	0.959 %
B1	191	68.116	67.656	0.675 %

You can see why any music made using this table will sound off tune ;-)

Improved Tuned Table (PAL)

The following table takes the actual note frequencies (non transposed) and shows the best matching value and error for PAL systems. The given actual and error is for the rightmost value.

Note	Low	Mid	High	Expected (Hz)	Actual (Hz)	Error %
C#1	130			34.648	34.640	0.023 %
D1	137			36.708	36.695	0.036 %
D#1	144			38.891	39.009	0.304 %
E1	150			41.203	41.238	0.084 %
F1	156			43.654	43.737	0.192 %
F#1	161			46.249	46.064	0.401 %
G1	167			48.999	49.205	0.419 %
G#1	172			51.913	52.169	0.492 %
A1	176			55.000	54.810	0.345 %
A#1	181			58.270	58.514	0.417 %
B1	185			61.735	61.857	0.197 %
C2	189			65.406	65.606	0.305 %
C#2	193	130		69.296	69.280	0.023 %
D2	196	137		73.416	73.390	0.036 %
D#2	199	144		77.782	78.018	0.304 %
E2	202	150		82.407	82.476	0.084 %
F2	205	156		87.307	87.475	0.192 %
F#2	208	161		92.499	92.128	0.401 %
G2	211	167		97.999	98.409	0.419 %
G#2	213	172		103.826	104.337	0.492 %
A2	216	176		110.000	109.620	0.345 %
A#2	218	181		116.541	117.027	0.417 %
B2	220	185		123.471	123.714	0.197 %
C3	222	189		130.813	131.212	0.305 %
C#3	224	193	130	138.591	138.560	0.023 %
D3	226	196	137	146.832	146.780	0.036 %
D#3	227	199	144	155.563	156.036	0.304 %
E3	229	202	150	164.814	164.952	0.084 %
F3	230	205	156	174.614	174.949	0.192 %
F#3	232	208	161	184.997	184.255	0.401 %
G3	233	211	167	195.998	196.818	0.419 %
G#3	234	213	172	207.652	208.675	0.492 %
A3	235	216	176	220.000	219.241	0.345 %
A#3	236	218	181	233.082	234.054	0.417 %
B3		220	185	246.942	247.429	0.197 %
C4		222	189	261.626	262.424	0.305 %
C#4	239	224	193	277.183	279.355	0.784 %
D4	240	226	196	293.665	293.559	0.036 %
D#4	241	227	199	311.127	309.286	0.592 %
E4	242	229	202	329.628	326.792	0.860 %
F4		230	205	349.228	346.400	0.810 %
F#4	243	232	208	369.994	368.511	0.401 %
G4	244	233	211	391.995	393.636	0.419 %
G#4		234	213	415.305	412.381	0.704 %
A4	245	235	216	440.000	444.103	0.932 %
A#4		236	218	466.164	468.108	0.417 %
B4			220	493.883	494.857	0.197 %
C5			222	523.251	524.848	0.305 %
C#5	247	239	224	554.365	558.710	0.784 %
D5		240	226	587.329	597.241	1.688 %
D#5	248	241	227	622.254	618.571	0.592 %
E5		242	229	659.255	666.154	1.046 %
F5			230	698.456	692.800	0.810 %
F#5	249	243	232	739.989	753.043	1.764 %
G5		244	233	783.991	787.273	0.419 %
G#5			234	830.609	824.762	0.704 %
A5	250	245	235	880.000	866.000	1.591 %
A#5			236	932.327	911.579	2.225 %

Improved Tuned Table (NTSC)

The following table takes the actual note frequencies (non transposed) and shows the best matching value and error for NTSC systems. The given actual and error is for the rightmost value.

Note	Low	Mid	High	Expected (Hz)	Actual (Hz)	Error %
C1	133			32.703	32.746	0.131 %
C#1	140			34.648	34.739	0.264 %
D1	146			36.708	36.651	0.155 %
D#1	152			38.891	38.786	0.269 %
E1	158			41.203	41.186	0.043 %
F1	163			43.654	43.424	0.526 %
F#1	169			46.249	46.453	0.442 %
G1	173			48.999	48.720	0.571 %
G#1	178			51.913	51.883	0.058 %
A1	182			55.000	54.726	0.498 %
A#1	186			58.270	57.899	0.638 %
B1	190			61.735	61.462	0.444 %
C2	194	133		65.406	65.492	0.131 %
C#2	197	140		69.296	69.478	0.264 %
D2	201	146		73.416	73.303	0.155 %
D#2	204	152		77.782	77.573	0.269 %
E2	207	158		82.407	82.371	0.043 %
F2	209	163		87.307	86.848	0.526 %
F#2	212	169		92.499	92.907	0.442 %
G2	214	173		97.999	97.439	0.571 %
G#2	217	178		103.826	103.766	0.058 %
A2	219	182		110.000	109.452	0.498 %
A#2	221	186		116.541	115.797	0.638 %
B2	223	190		123.471	122.923	0.444 %
C3	224	194	133	130.813	130.984	0.131 %
C#3	226	197	140	138.591	138.957	0.264 %
D3	228	201	146	146.832	146.606	0.155 %
D#3	229	204	152	155.563	155.146	0.269 %
E3	231	207	158	164.814	164.742	0.043 %
F3	232	209	163	174.614	173.696	0.526 %
F#3	233	212	169	184.997	185.814	0.442 %
G3	235	214	173	195.998	194.878	0.571 %
G#3	236	217	178	207.652	207.532	0.058 %
A3	237	219	182	220.000	218.904	0.498 %
A#3	238	221	186	233.082	231.594	0.638 %
B3	239	223	190	246.942	245.846	0.444 %
C4	240	224	194	261.626	261.967	0.131 %
C#4		226	197	277.183	275.517	0.601 %
D4		228	201	293.665	295.926	0.770 %
D#4	242	229	204	311.127	313.333	0.709 %
E4	243	231	207	329.628	332.917	0.998 %
F4		232	209	349.228	347.391	0.526 %
F#4	244	233	212	369.994	371.628	0.442 %
G4	245	235	214	391.995	389.756	0.571 %
G#4		236	217	415.305	420.526	1.257 %
A4	246	237	219	440.000	443.889	0.884 %
A#4		238	221	466.164	470.000	0.823 %
B4	247	239	223	493.883	499.375	1.112 %
C5		240	224	523.251	515.484	1.484 %
C#5			226	554.365	551.034	0.601 %
D5			228	587.329	591.852	0.770 %
D#5		242	229	622.254	614.615	1.228 %
E5	249	243	231	659.255	665.833	0.998 %
F5			232	698.456	694.783	0.526 %
F#5		244	233	739.989	726.364	1.841 %
G5	250	245	235	783.991	799.000	1.914 %
G#5			236	830.609	841.053	1.257 %
A5		246	237	880.000	887.778	0.884 %
A#5			238	932.327	940.000	0.823 %