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What does 820 Hz sound like?
820 Hz is a midrange frequency. It is a clear midrange tone, close to where the human ear does most of its work for speech and melody.
A 820 Hz sound wave completes 820 cycles every second, so one cycle lasts 1.22 ms. In air at 20 °C, where sound travels at about 343 m/s, each wave is 41.8 cm (1.37 ft) long; in water it stretches to 1.81 m because sound moves about 4.3 times faster there.
Musically, 820 Hz is 22 cents below G♯5 (830.61 Hz) in standard A440 tuning. Doubling it to 1,640 Hz raises the pitch by one octave; halving it to 410 Hz lowers it by one.
Wavelength of 820 Hz in different materials
| Medium | Speed of sound | Wavelength |
|---|---|---|
| Air (20 °C) | 343 m/s | 41.8 cm |
| Fresh water | 1,481 m/s | 1.81 m |
| Seawater | 1,500 m/s | 1.83 m |
| Helium | 1,007 m/s | 1.23 m |
| Steel | 5,960 m/s | 7.27 m |
| Glass | 5,640 m/s | 6.88 m |
Harmonics and octaves
Real instruments playing 820 Hz also produce harmonics at whole-number multiples of the fundamental. Their relative strength gives each instrument its timbre.
Which animals can hear 820 Hz?
Can hear it
Humans, Dogs, Cats, Horses, Cows, Sheep, Pigs, Goats, Rabbits, Rats, Gerbils, Guinea pigs, Hedgehogs, Raccoons, Ferrets, Opossums, Chinchillas, Elephants, Bottlenose dolphins, Chickens, Canaries, Budgerigars (parakeets), Cockatiels, Owls, Bullfrogs, Tree frogs, Goldfish, Catfish, Tuna
Cannot hear it
Instruments and voices that can play 820 Hz
Frequently asked questions
What does 820 Hz sound like?
It is a clear midrange tone, close to where the human ear does most of its work for speech and melody.
Can humans hear 820 Hz?
Yes. 820 Hz is inside the typical human hearing range of 20 Hz to 20 kHz.
What musical note is 820 Hz?
820 Hz is 22 cents below G♯5, which is 830.61 Hz in standard A440 tuning.
What is the wavelength of 820 Hz?
About 41.8 cm in air at 20 °C and 1.81 m in water.
Can dogs hear 820 Hz?
Yes – dogs hear roughly 67 Hz to 45,000 Hz.