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 72 Hz sound like?
72 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 72 Hz sound wave completes 72 cycles every second, so one cycle lasts 13.9 ms. In air at 20 °C, where sound travels at about 343 m/s, each wave is 4.76 m (15.63 ft) long; in water it stretches to 20.57 m because sound moves about 4.3 times faster there.
Musically, 72 Hz is 34 cents below D2 (73.42 Hz) in standard A440 tuning. Doubling it to 144 Hz raises the pitch by one octave; halving it to 36 Hz lowers it by one.
Wavelength of 72 Hz in different materials
| Medium | Speed of sound | Wavelength |
|---|---|---|
| Air (20 °C) | 343 m/s | 4.76 m |
| Fresh water | 1,481 m/s | 20.57 m |
| Seawater | 1,500 m/s | 20.83 m |
| Helium | 1,007 m/s | 13.99 m |
| Steel | 5,960 m/s | 82.78 m |
| Glass | 5,640 m/s | 78.33 m |
Harmonics and octaves
Real instruments playing 72 Hz also produce harmonics at whole-number multiples of the fundamental. Their relative strength gives each instrument its timbre.
Which animals can hear 72 Hz?
Can hear it
Humans, Dogs, Cats, Horses, Cows, Pigs, Guinea pigs, Ferrets, Elephants, Tree frogs, Goldfish, Catfish, Tuna
Cannot hear it
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 72 Hz
Frequently asked questions
What does 72 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 72 Hz?
Yes. 72 Hz is inside the typical human hearing range of 20 Hz to 20 kHz.
What musical note is 72 Hz?
72 Hz is 34 cents below D2, which is 73.42 Hz in standard A440 tuning.
What is the wavelength of 72 Hz?
About 4.76 m in air at 20 °C and 20.57 m in water.
Can dogs hear 72 Hz?
Yes – dogs hear roughly 67 Hz to 45,000 Hz.