Tone Generator
Playback is limited by this device's sample rate and speakers. Start at a low device volume. Stop if uncomfortable. This is a signal generator, not a calibrated hearing test.
Sound offTuning reference
Related tools
- Note to Frequency Converter — Calculate a selected note’s frequency and wavelength.
- Spectrogram Viewer — Inspect broader frequency structure over time.
- Instrument Tuner — Compare a single instrument note with a reference.
Generate a local reference tone at a chosen frequency, note or waveform. The Tone Generator offers 20–20,000 Hz numerical input, several periodic waveforms, noise options, duration and stereo balance. Start with low device volume and use a comfortable level; the controls do not establish a calibrated sound-pressure level.
Play a reference tone
- Choose a frequency in hertz or select a musical note.
- For a note-based choice, set the cents offset and use its frequency.
- Select a waveform, duration and stereo balance.
- Keep output level modest and select Play tone.
- Use Stop whenever you want playback to end.
The note controls use an adjustable A4 reference, normally 440 Hz. A direct hertz input is already a frequency choice. Be clear which method you used when comparing the tone with a tuner or an instrument.
Choose a waveform for the task
A sine wave provides one ideal frequency component in the digital signal. Triangle, square and sawtooth waveforms contain additional harmonic structure, so they sound different even when their fundamental setting is identical.
White noise and approximate pink noise are also available. Noise does not have one stable musical fundamental in the way a sine tone does. The frequency control should not be interpreted as making every noise sample a clean single-pitch reference.
Use a sine when you want the simplest pitch comparison. A richer waveform can make harmonic behavior easier to hear or see, but it also gives a microphone pitch tracker more spectral structure to interpret. None of these choices reproduces a particular acoustic instrument exactly.
Relate notes, hertz and cents
At A4 = 440 Hz, A3 is 220 Hz and A5 is 880 Hz. One octave doubles frequency, while one semitone multiplies it by 2 raised to the power 1/12. A cents offset permits a smaller musical shift around a selected note.
For example, a +100-cent offset is one semitone above the selected reference. It is not a change of 100 Hz. The Note to Frequency Converter explains the calculation, and the Frequency to Note Converter interprets a frequency in the opposite direction.
Duration and output channel
Choose a fixed duration of 1, 3, 5 or 10 seconds, or Until Stop. A fixed duration is useful for a brief reference without needing a long continuous tone. The Stop control remains the direct way to end playback.
Stereo balance offers left, center and right routing. What reaches each ear still depends on the device, operating-system settings and connection. A left-only signal is not a calibrated isolated-ear hearing measurement.
The output slider controls a digital level, not acoustic decibels. Different headphones or speakers can produce different physical levels at the same setting. Begin low rather than assuming a familiar slider value is safe on a new device.
Numerical limits do not guarantee audibility
The input spans 20–20,000 Hz, but the browser’s sample rate and the playback hardware limit reproduction. A valid frequency setting does not prove that a speaker emits it clearly or that it should be audible to a particular listener.
Do not increase volume aggressively because a high or low tone is difficult to hear. Harmonics, distortion and device response can also make the perceived sound differ from the intended fundamental. Stop if a tone is uncomfortable.
A query for a 0.01 Hz tone does not match this audible-frequency tool: 0.01 Hz is below its accepted input range. This page does not provide an infrasonic signal output or laboratory function-generator interface.
Use reference sound without confusing it with measurement
A reference can help you compare an instrument by ear or observe a simple pattern in the Spectrogram Viewer. The generator’s frequency setting describes what it attempts to synthesize, not a measurement of the acoustic output.
If you start the Pitch Detector while a reference is playing through speakers, the microphone can detect that reference instead of your instrument. Treat generation and measurement as deliberate separate steps.
For tuning an actual instrument, use the Instrument Tuner and confirm the intended sounding note. A generated reference does not evaluate string tension, intonation across a fretboard or playing technique.
Know what this page saves
The current tone interface provides playback rather than a downloadable WAV generator or a saved hearing report. Keep any frequency and tuning settings you need in your own notes. Reset returns the tool to its starting state.
Sound is synthesized locally. No microphone permission is needed simply to generate it. Browser audio may require a deliberate button interaction, and mute or output routing can prevent you from hearing an otherwise valid setting.
Frequently asked questions
Can I generate a 20,000 Hz tone?
The input accepts that value, but actual output and audibility depend on sample rate and hardware. Do not raise volume aggressively to force audibility.
Is this a hearing test?
No. It does not establish calibrated levels, hearing thresholds or a diagnosis.
Can I download the tone as WAV?
This current interface offers local reference playback, not a file-export control.
Why do different waveforms sound different at 440 Hz?
Their harmonic content differs even when the fundamental setting is the same.