What Is a Tone Generator?
A tone generator produces a steady sound at a chosen frequency. Musicians use it to tune instruments, technicians use it to test speakers and microphones, and curious people use it to explore how pitch works. Frequency is measured in Hertz (Hz), the number of vibrations per second. A pitch of 440 Hz is the standard concert A. You can read more about the Hertz unit and sound itself.
How to Use This Tool
- Press Start.
- Move the slider or type an exact frequency.
- Choose a waveform: sine is smooth, square is buzzy, sawtooth is bright, triangle is soft.
- Use the chips for quick jumps to bass, mids or treble.
- Keep volume low when testing high frequencies.
Waveforms Explained
A sine wave has a single pure frequency and is best for speaker tests. A square wave contains many harmonics and sounds harsh, which makes it useful for finding distortion. Sawtooth waves are rich and bright, and triangle waves sit in between. Our sine wave generator focuses on the pure wave.
Typical Uses
- Tune a guitar or violin
- Check speaker response from low to high
- Find rattles in a car or room
- Test hearing range with the hearing test
- Locate bass resonance with the bass test
Safety Tips
High volume at extreme frequencies can hurt hearing and damage small speakers. Start quietly, especially above 8 kHz. Children and pets can be more sensitive to high tones.
Related Tools & Guides
Frequently Asked Questions
What frequencies can this tone generator play?
From 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz, the full range of human hearing.
Why can I not hear very low tones on my phone?
Small speakers cannot reproduce deep bass. Use headphones or a bigger speaker.
Which waveform should I use?
Sine for tests, square or sawtooth for checking distortion.
Is it free?
Yes, with no sign-up.