Uses for a tone generator
- Tuning: A4 = 440 Hz is the standard concert pitch for tuning instruments.
- Speaker and headphone testing: sweep from low to high to find rattles, check the bass response, or check left and right with the balance slider.
- Hearing range: young people can usually hear up to about 17–20 kHz, and the upper limit falls with age.
- Science and electronics: demonstrate waveforms, resonance and beats.
Waveforms
A sine wave is a pure tone with no harmonics. Square and sawtooth waves contain many harmonics and sound buzzy and bright, while triangle waves are softer. The frequency slider is logarithmic, so each part of it covers a similar musical range.
Protect your hearing: start at a low volume, especially with headphones, and avoid long exposure to high frequencies. Sounds are synthesised live with the Web Audio API. Try the binaural beats generator and noise generator too.
Frequently asked questions
What frequency is middle C?
About 261.63 Hz (C4).
Can I generate a 20 kHz tone?
Yes, but most speakers and adult ears cannot reproduce or hear it well.
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