Tone Generator
How to use the tone generator
- Set the frequency with the slider or type it in Hz.
- Choose the wave shape, the volume and which ear to play it in.
- Click Play. Tick the sweep box to glide to a second frequency instead.
Frequently asked questions
What can I use a tone generator for?
Checking the range of a speaker or headphones, finding a rattle or a resonance in a room or a car, testing your own hearing range, tuning an instrument by ear, and as a reference while measuring audio gear.
Which wave should I pick?
A sine wave is one pure frequency and is what you want for testing. Square, triangle and sawtooth waves add harmonics above the frequency, which is why they sound harsher and are used for synth sounds.
Up to what frequency can I hear?
Young adults hear to about 17 to 20 kHz, and the top end drops with age: many people over 50 stop around 12 kHz. Start quiet and sweep upwards, and note that phone and laptop speakers often cannot produce much above 15 kHz or below 100 Hz at all.
Why is the tone not loud?
The volume is deliberately low. Loud pure tones, especially high ones, can damage hearing quickly because they carry all their energy at one frequency. Raise it slowly.
What is the wavelength shown for?
It is the physical length of one cycle in air, useful for room acoustics: standing waves form at half a wavelength, so a 100 Hz tone with its 3.4 m wavelength is the kind that booms in a small room.