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 60 Hz sound like?
60 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 60 Hz sound wave completes 60 cycles every second, so one cycle lasts 16.7 ms. In air at 20 °C, where sound travels at about 343 m/s, each wave is 5.72 m (18.76 ft) long; in water it stretches to 24.68 m because sound moves about 4.3 times faster there.
Musically, 60 Hz is 49 cents below B1 (61.74 Hz) in standard A440 tuning. Doubling it to 120 Hz raises the pitch by one octave; halving it to 30 Hz lowers it by one.
Wavelength of 60 Hz in different materials
| Medium | Speed of sound | Wavelength |
|---|---|---|
| Air (20 °C) | 343 m/s | 5.72 m |
| Fresh water | 1,481 m/s | 24.68 m |
| Seawater | 1,500 m/s | 25.00 m |
| Helium | 1,007 m/s | 16.78 m |
| Steel | 5,960 m/s | 99.33 m |
| Glass | 5,640 m/s | 94.00 m |
Harmonics and octaves
Real instruments playing 60 Hz also produce harmonics at whole-number multiples of the fundamental. Their relative strength gives each instrument its timbre.
Which animals can hear 60 Hz?
Can hear it
Humans, Cats, Horses, Cows, Pigs, Guinea pigs, Ferrets, Elephants, Tree frogs, Goldfish, Catfish, Tuna
Cannot hear it
Dogs, Sheep, Goats, Rabbits, Rats, Mice, Gerbils, Hedgehogs, Raccoons, Opossums, Chinchillas, Bats, Beluga whales, Bottlenose dolphins, Chickens, Canaries, Budgerigars (parakeets), Cockatiels, Owls, Bullfrogs, Greater wax moths
Instruments and voices that can play 60 Hz
Frequently asked questions
What does 60 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 60 Hz?
Yes. 60 Hz is inside the typical human hearing range of 20 Hz to 20 kHz.
What musical note is 60 Hz?
60 Hz is 49 cents below B1, which is 61.74 Hz in standard A440 tuning.
What is the wavelength of 60 Hz?
About 5.72 m in air at 20 °C and 24.68 m in water.
Can dogs hear 60 Hz?
No – dogs hear roughly 67 Hz to 45,000 Hz.