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 140 Hz sound like?
140 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 140 Hz sound wave completes 140 cycles every second, so one cycle lasts 7.14 ms. In air at 20 °C, where sound travels at about 343 m/s, each wave is 2.45 m (8.04 ft) long; in water it stretches to 10.58 m because sound moves about 4.3 times faster there.
Musically, 140 Hz is 18 cents above C♯3 (138.59 Hz) in standard A440 tuning. Doubling it to 280 Hz raises the pitch by one octave; halving it to 70 Hz lowers it by one.
Wavelength of 140 Hz in different materials
| Medium | Speed of sound | Wavelength |
|---|---|---|
| Air (20 °C) | 343 m/s | 2.45 m |
| Fresh water | 1,481 m/s | 10.58 m |
| Seawater | 1,500 m/s | 10.71 m |
| Helium | 1,007 m/s | 7.19 m |
| Steel | 5,960 m/s | 42.57 m |
| Glass | 5,640 m/s | 40.29 m |
Harmonics and octaves
Real instruments playing 140 Hz also produce harmonics at whole-number multiples of the fundamental. Their relative strength gives each instrument its timbre.
Which animals can hear 140 Hz?
Can hear it
Humans, Dogs, Cats, Horses, Cows, Sheep, Pigs, Goats, Gerbils, Guinea pigs, Raccoons, Ferrets, Chinchillas, Elephants, Bottlenose dolphins, Chickens, Bullfrogs, Tree frogs, Goldfish, Catfish, Tuna
Cannot hear it
Rabbits, Rats, Mice, Hedgehogs, Opossums, Bats, Beluga whales, Canaries, Budgerigars (parakeets), Cockatiels, Owls, Greater wax moths
Instruments and voices that can play 140 Hz
Frequently asked questions
What does 140 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 140 Hz?
Yes. 140 Hz is inside the typical human hearing range of 20 Hz to 20 kHz.
What musical note is 140 Hz?
140 Hz is 18 cents above C♯3, which is 138.59 Hz in standard A440 tuning.
What is the wavelength of 140 Hz?
About 2.45 m in air at 20 °C and 10.58 m in water.
Can dogs hear 140 Hz?
Yes – dogs hear roughly 67 Hz to 45,000 Hz.