The Sound Atlas
Listen to the world.
A free, open atlas of sound: listen to thousands of animals, places and instruments, and explore frequencies, decibels and the science of hearing – with free tools that run in your browser.
1,544animal species
58,390field recordings
2,112instruments
2,747music genres
2,416glossary terms
14free tools
Explore the atlas
1,544
Animal sounds
Birdsong, frogs, mammals and insects – real recordings with facts.
58,390Field recordings
Soundscapes from cities and wild places, on a world map.
Instruments
How every instrument makes its sound – and what it sounds like.
Frequencies
Play any tone from 1 Hz to 22 kHz, with notes and wavelengths.
Decibels
Every level from 0 to 194 dB, with safe exposure times.
Music genres
Origins, family trees and key artists.
Glossary
Acoustics, hearing and audio terms explained.
Free tools
Tone generator, dB meter, hearing test, spectrogram…
Today's listening
World sound map →Cluj, Fortress Hill project, emotion tube 1 – Cluj-Napoca
5:20
Traditional Markets – Taipei
5:20
Hastings Railway Station, Station Approach – Hastings
7:17
Black-headed gull – Black-headed Gulls (Larus ridibundus) (W1CDR0001402 BD19)
0:58
Soundscapes
All themes →- Rain
- Thunderstorms
- Wind
- Sea & waves
- Rivers, streams & waterfalls
- Birdsong & dawn chorus
- Frogs & insects
- Forests
- Night soundscapes
- Church bells
- Markets & bazaars
- Streets & traffic
- Trains & stations
- Trams, metros & buses
- Harbours, ports & boats
- Airports & aircraft
- Construction & industry
- Crowds & voices
- Festivals, parades & fireworks
- Protests & demonstrations
- Street music & buskers
- Prayer, chant & ritual
- Cafés, bars & restaurants
- Snow & ice
- Caves, tunnels & underground
- Underwater (hydrophone)
- Contact-mic recordings
- Farms & farm animals
- Mountains
- Parks & gardens
- Fountains
- Soundwalks
Bird songs
All birds →
Chicken
Gallus gallus domesticus
House sparrow
Passer domesticus
Common raven
Corvus corax
Eurasian magpie
Pica pica
Mallard
Anas platyrhynchos
Eurasian hoopoe
Upupa epops
Common blackbird
Turdus merula
Common quail
Coturnix coturnix
European robin
Erithacus rubecula
Common cuckoo
Cuculus canorus
Rock dove
Columba livia
Eurasian golden oriole
Oriolus oriolus
How loud is it?
Decibel chart →30 dBWhisper
A soft whisper at about 1.5 m (5 ft).60 dBNormal conversation
Two people talking at about 1 m.75 dBVacuum cleaner
At the operator's position.85 dBHeavy city traffic
Standing at the curb of a busy street.110 dBRock concert
CDC: concerts 94–110 dB; front rows near speakers can be louder.110 dBChainsaw
NIOSH lists a chainsaw at about 110 dB.140 dBJet engine at takeoff
At about 30 m (100 ft).165 dB12-gauge shotgun
NIOSH lists a 12-gauge shotgun at 165 dB.
A soft whisper at about 1.5 m (5 ft).60 dBNormal conversation
Two people talking at about 1 m.75 dBVacuum cleaner
At the operator's position.85 dBHeavy city traffic
Standing at the curb of a busy street.110 dBRock concert
CDC: concerts 94–110 dB; front rows near speakers can be louder.110 dBChainsaw
NIOSH lists a chainsaw at about 110 dB.140 dBJet engine at takeoff
At about 30 m (100 ft).165 dB12-gauge shotgun
NIOSH lists a 12-gauge shotgun at 165 dB.
Play a frequency
All frequencies →440Hz
Start with your device volume low. Very low tones may be inaudible on phone or laptop speakers; very high tones can be uncomfortable on headphones.
Free tools
All tools →- Tone generator
- Decibel meter
- Hearing test
- Spectrogram
- Wavelength calculator
- Frequency to note
- RT60 calculator
- Decibel calculator
- Sound vs distance
- Noise exposure calculator
- Speed of sound calculator
- BPM to ms
- Audio file size
- Lightning distance
Learn
All guides →Decibels Explained: How Sound Level Is Measured
What a decibel is, why the scale is logarithmic, the difference between dB SPL, dBA and dBFS, and how to compare sound levels correctly.
Frequency, Pitch and the Range of Human Hearing
What frequency is, how it relates to pitch and musical notes, why we hear from about 20 Hz to 20 kHz, and how hearing changes with age.
How Loud Is Too Loud? Noise and Your Hearing
Which sound levels can damage hearing, how long is safe at 85, 94 or 100 dB, early warning signs and simple ways to protect your ears. General information based on NIOSH, OSHA and WHO guidance.
How to Read a Spectrogram
A spectrogram turns sound into a picture of frequency over time. Learn to read whistles, harmonics, noise and transients – and identify birds, voices and machines by sight.
How to Record Birdsong
Practical tips for recording bird song and calls – timing, microphones, parabolic reflectors, settings, ethics and how to share your recordings.
How to Start Field Recording: Gear, Settings and Technique
A practical guide to your first field recordings – which recorder and microphones to choose, the settings that matter, and techniques for clean, beautiful sound.
Latest posts
- Getting Started With Microphone Polar Patterns for Beginners
- Getting Started With Binaural Recording for Beginners
- How to Start Echo Identification for Beginners
- Getting Started With Reverb A Practical Approach for Beginners
- Getting Started with Room Acoustics for Beginners
- How to Train Your Ears for Loudness Perception
- How to Start Pitch Perception Training for Beginners
- How to Start Listening to Musical Timbre Like a Pro
- Getting Started With Sound Resonance Practical Experiments
- Getting Started With Harmonics A Beginner Approach