Tone Generator
Set a frequency, pick a wave shape and press start. Save a tone of any length as a WAV file.
About Tone Generator
A tone generator makes a steady sound at exactly the frequency you choose, from the deepest rumble at 20 Hz to the highest whistle at 20,000 Hz. Type a number or move the slider, press Start and the tone plays. You can change the frequency, the wave shape and the volume while it plays.
A sine wave is the purest sound, with a single frequency. Square, triangle and sawtooth waves add harmonics and sound brighter or buzzier. The page names the nearest musical note, so 440 Hz shows as A4. You can also save a tone of up to ten minutes as a WAV file for testing equipment or for use in a project.
How to use Tone Generator
- Type a frequency or move the slider, or press a preset such as A 440.
- Choose a wave shape and set the volume low.
- Press Start the tone and adjust while it plays.
- Enter a length and press Download as WAV to save it.
Common uses
- Tuning an instrument to A 440
- Testing the bass and treble of speakers or headphones
- Finding a rattle in a room or a car
- Making a test signal for a project
Frequently asked questions
What frequency is concert A?
A4 is 440 Hz. Middle C, C4, is about 261.63 Hz.
Why can I not hear very low or high tones?
Small speakers cannot make very low sounds, and hearing fades with age at the top end. Many adults cannot hear above 15 to 17 kHz.
Which wave shape should I use?
Use sine for a clean tone and tuning. Square and sawtooth are rich in harmonics, which is useful for testing and for synth sounds.
Can loud tones cause harm?
Keep the volume low at first. Pure tones can sound much louder than they seem, especially high ones, so raise the volume slowly.
How long can the downloaded tone be?
Up to 600 seconds. The file is a 16 bit WAV at 44,100 Hz.