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.
What does 120 Hz sound like?
120 Hz is a bass frequency. It is a low bass tone – a warm hum similar to the low strings of a cello or bass guitar. Phone speakers reproduce it weakly; headphones work much better.
A 120 Hz sound wave completes 120 cycles every second, so one cycle lasts 8.33 ms. In air at 20 °C, where sound travels at about 343 m/s, each wave is 2.86 m (9.38 ft) long; in water it stretches to 12.34 m because sound moves about 4.3 times faster there.
Musically, 120 Hz is 49 cents below B2 (123.47 Hz) in standard A440 tuning. Doubling it to 240 Hz raises the pitch by one octave; halving it to 60 Hz lowers it by one.
Wavelength of 120 Hz in different materials
| Medium | Speed of sound | Wavelength |
|---|---|---|
| Air (20 °C) | 343 m/s | 2.86 m |
| Fresh water | 1,481 m/s | 12.34 m |
| Seawater | 1,500 m/s | 12.50 m |
| Helium | 1,007 m/s | 8.39 m |
| Steel | 5,960 m/s | 49.67 m |
| Glass | 5,640 m/s | 47.00 m |
Harmonics and octaves
Real instruments playing 120 Hz also produce harmonics at whole-number multiples of the fundamental. Their relative strength gives each instrument its timbre.
Which animals can hear 120 Hz?
Can hear it
Humans, Dogs, Cats, Horses, Cows, Pigs, Goats, Gerbils, Guinea pigs, Raccoons, Ferrets, Chinchillas, Elephants, Bottlenose dolphins, Bullfrogs, Tree frogs, Goldfish, Catfish, Tuna
Cannot hear it
Sheep, Rabbits, Rats, Mice, Hedgehogs, Opossums, Bats, Beluga whales, Chickens, Canaries, Budgerigars (parakeets), Cockatiels, Owls, Greater wax moths
Instruments and voices that can play 120 Hz
Frequently asked questions
What does 120 Hz sound like?
It is a low bass tone – a warm hum similar to the low strings of a cello or bass guitar. Phone speakers reproduce it weakly; headphones work much better.
Can humans hear 120 Hz?
Yes. 120 Hz is inside the typical human hearing range of 20 Hz to 20 kHz.
What musical note is 120 Hz?
120 Hz is 49 cents below B2, which is 123.47 Hz in standard A440 tuning.
What is the wavelength of 120 Hz?
About 2.86 m in air at 20 °C and 12.34 m in water.
Can dogs hear 120 Hz?
Yes – dogs hear roughly 67 Hz to 45,000 Hz.