Updated 23 October 2026. Facts on this page come from minecraft.wiki, minecraft.net and the live Artemis PvP server; sources are listed at the bottom.
Note Blocks: Every Instrument and How to Tune
A note block plays a sound when you hit it, use it or power it with redstone. Craft one from planks and redstone dust. Using it raises the pitch a semitone (25 pitches in all), and the block underneath picks the instrument: wood gives bass, stone a bass drum, gold a bell, clay a flute, wool a guitar, and anything else the default harp.
Which block gives which instrument?
| Block under the note block | Instrument |
|---|---|
| Wood blocks (logs, planks, chests, etc.) | Bass |
| Sand, gravel, concrete powder | Snare drum |
| Glass, sea lantern, beacon | Hat (clicks) |
| Stone blocks | Bass drum |
| Block of gold | Bell |
| Clay | Flute |
| Packed ice | Chime |
| Wool | Guitar |
| Bone block | Xylophone |
| Block of iron | Iron xylophone |
| Soul sand | Cow bell |
| Pumpkin | Didgeridoo |
| Block of emerald | Bit |
| Hay bale | Banjo |
| Glowstone | Pling |
| Copper blocks | Trumpet (the sound changes as the copper oxidises) |
| Anything else, including air | Harp (piano) |
How do you tune a note block?
Each use raises the pitch by one semitone, across 25 pitches per instrument (two octaves). The colour of the note particle hints at the pitch, and on Java the F3 screen shows it as "note:" 0 to 24. Some instruments are pitched lower or higher, such as bass and didgeridoo two octaves down. See the F3 screen.
How do you make it play?
Hit it, use it, or power it with redstone. It needs air (or a mob head) directly above it to make a sound, and it can be heard up to 48 blocks away. With a mob head on top it plays that mob's sound instead. See redstone basics and mob heads.
Do note blocks affect allays?
Yes: an allay that hears a note block delivers its items to the note block instead of to you for a while. See the allay.
Does ArtemisPvP have puzzle rooms?
Frequently asked questions
How do you change a note block's instrument?
Change the block under it, for example gold for bell or clay for flute.
How many notes does a note block have?
25 pitches per instrument, two octaves.
Sources
Every fact on this page was checked against these pages; the wording is ours.