What is Tone/Frequency Generator?

Tone/Frequency Generator creates precise audio tones with the Web Audio API. Generate sine, square, sawtooth, and triangle waves at any frequency from 20Hz to 20kHz. Great for audio testing, tuning instruments, or sound experiments.

The generator uses the Web Audio API to synthesise tones in real time, so the slider responds instantly. You can pick concrete musical notes like A4 (440 Hz) or type any frequency between 20 Hz and 20 kHz. Optional harmonics add integer multiples of the base frequency for a richer timbre, and a noise mode produces white, pink, or brown noise for sleep and masking.

How to use

  1. Set the desired frequency using the slider or by typing a specific value in Hz.
  2. Select a waveform type: sine (pure tone), square, sawtooth, or triangle.
  3. Click Play to hear the tone. Adjust volume and download the generated audio as a WAV file.

When to use

  • Tuning a guitar, violin, or piano by ear against a clean reference pitch.
  • Testing speaker frequency response, headphone left/right balance, or hearing range.
  • Producing pink or brown noise for focus, masking traffic, or helping a baby sleep.

Result

A musician generates a 440Hz sine wave (concert A) to tune their guitar by ear.

FAQ

What's the difference between sine, square, sawtooth, and triangle waves?
Sine is the cleanest, single-frequency tone — best for tuning and hearing tests. Square sounds buzzy and hollow (lots of odd harmonics). Sawtooth is bright and brassy. Triangle is softer than square, with quickly fading harmonics — good for chiptune leads.
Why is the highest note I can hear lower than the slider's 20 kHz maximum?
Most adults stop hearing past 15-17 kHz, and that ceiling drops with age. Kids and teenagers often hear close to 20 kHz. Your speakers also matter: many laptop speakers roll off above 12-14 kHz regardless of what the tone says.
What's the difference between white, pink, and brown noise?
White noise has equal energy at every frequency, which sounds bright and hissy. Pink noise drops 3 dB per octave so it sounds balanced and natural, closer to rain. Brown noise drops 6 dB per octave — a deep, rumbly sound often used for relaxation.
Can I save the tone or noise as a WAV file?
Yes, in all three modes. Pick a duration (up to 60 seconds, or up to 120 for a sweep), then click download. The tool renders a 44.1 kHz, 16-bit WAV — a static pitch in Tone mode, the real glide in Sweep mode, and a stereo file in Binaural mode — ready to drop into a DAW or test playlist.
Will the tone damage my speakers or my ears?
Keep the volume moderate. Continuous sine tones above 85 dB SPL can fatigue hearing, and very low frequencies (under 30 Hz) at high volume can push small speakers or earbuds past their excursion limit. Start with the volume slider near 30-40% and adjust by ear.

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