Tone Generator
Produce a steady test tone at any frequency between 20 Hz and 20 kHz. Pick a pure sine wave or a harmonically rich square, triangle or sawtooth wave, change the pitch while it plays, and step by single hertz or whole octaves. You can also download the tone as a WAV file for use elsewhere.
Generate a Test Tone
Protect your hearing: start with your device volume low, especially with headphones. High and very low frequencies can be harmful at high levels even when they sound quiet. The tone starts at 10% level.
440 Hz
A4
Playing
Your download
How to Use the Tone Generator
- Turn your device volume down first.
- Type a frequency or choose a quick option, and pick a waveform.
- Press Play. Change the frequency or level while it plays; use the octave and ±1 Hz buttons for fine steps.
- Press Stop, or Download WAV to save a tone of the length you set.
About This Tool
Audio engineers checking equipment, musicians tuning by ear, teachers demonstrating sound waves, and people finding the frequency of a hum or a speaker rattle.
Input: Frequency and waveform · Output: Tone played in your browser, or a WAV file.
Features and Limitations
Features
- Four classic waveforms from 20 Hz to 20 kHz.
- Smooth, click-free frequency and level changes while playing.
- Shows the nearest musical note.
- WAV download of up to 60 seconds at 44.1 kHz.
Limitations
- Most laptop and phone speakers cannot reproduce frequencies below about 100 Hz, and many adults cannot hear above 15–17 kHz.
- This is not a medical hearing test; see an audiologist for that.
- The browser plays the square and sawtooth waves band-limited, so they are slightly smoother than ideal shapes.
- Results are computed in your browser; nothing you enter is sent to a server.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why can’t I hear very high frequencies?
Hearing above 15 kHz declines with age, and many speakers roll off there too. Do not raise the volume to compensate; that can damage your hearing.
Why does the square wave sound louder than the sine?
A square wave contains more energy and many harmonics at the same peak level, so it sounds louder and harsher.
Can I use this for tinnitus?
Some people use tones to identify their tinnitus pitch, but treatment should be guided by a health professional. Keep levels low.
Is the WAV the same as what I hear?
Yes: the same waveform, frequency and level, rendered offline at 44.1 kHz.
Related Tools
More like this: all Sound & Music tools, all Audio & Video tools or the TinySandy home page.