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 200 Hz sound like?
200 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 200 Hz sound wave completes 200 cycles every second, so one cycle lasts 5 ms. In air at 20 °C, where sound travels at about 343 m/s, each wave is 1.72 m (5.63 ft) long; in water it stretches to 7.41 m because sound moves about 4.3 times faster there.
Musically, 200 Hz is 35 cents above G3 (196 Hz) in standard A440 tuning. Doubling it to 400 Hz raises the pitch by one octave; halving it to 100 Hz lowers it by one.
Wavelength of 200 Hz in different materials
| Medium | Speed of sound | Wavelength |
|---|---|---|
| Air (20 °C) | 343 m/s | 1.72 m |
| Fresh water | 1,481 m/s | 7.41 m |
| Seawater | 1,500 m/s | 7.50 m |
| Helium | 1,007 m/s | 5.04 m |
| Steel | 5,960 m/s | 29.80 m |
| Glass | 5,640 m/s | 28.20 m |
Harmonics and octaves
Real instruments playing 200 Hz also produce harmonics at whole-number multiples of the fundamental. Their relative strength gives each instrument its timbre.
Which animals can hear 200 Hz?
Can hear it
Humans, Dogs, Cats, Horses, Cows, Sheep, Pigs, Goats, Rats, Gerbils, Guinea pigs, Raccoons, Ferrets, Chinchillas, Elephants, Bottlenose dolphins, Chickens, Budgerigars (parakeets), Owls, Bullfrogs, Tree frogs, Goldfish, Catfish, Tuna
Cannot hear it
Rabbits, Mice, Hedgehogs, Opossums, Bats, Beluga whales, Canaries, Cockatiels, Greater wax moths
Instruments and voices that can play 200 Hz
Frequently asked questions
What does 200 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 200 Hz?
Yes. 200 Hz is inside the typical human hearing range of 20 Hz to 20 kHz.
What musical note is 200 Hz?
200 Hz is 35 cents above G3, which is 196 Hz in standard A440 tuning.
What is the wavelength of 200 Hz?
About 1.72 m in air at 20 °C and 7.41 m in water.
Can dogs hear 200 Hz?
Yes – dogs hear roughly 67 Hz to 45,000 Hz.