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What does 890 Hz sound like?
890 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 890 Hz sound wave completes 890 cycles every second, so one cycle lasts 1.12 ms. In air at 20 °C, where sound travels at about 343 m/s, each wave is 38.5 cm (1.26 ft) long; in water it stretches to 1.66 m because sound moves about 4.3 times faster there.
Musically, 890 Hz is 20 cents above A5 (880 Hz) in standard A440 tuning. Doubling it to 1,780 Hz raises the pitch by one octave; halving it to 445 Hz lowers it by one.
Wavelength of 890 Hz in different materials
| Medium | Speed of sound | Wavelength |
|---|---|---|
| Air (20 °C) | 343 m/s | 38.5 cm |
| Fresh water | 1,481 m/s | 1.66 m |
| Seawater | 1,500 m/s | 1.69 m |
| Helium | 1,007 m/s | 1.13 m |
| Steel | 5,960 m/s | 6.70 m |
| Glass | 5,640 m/s | 6.34 m |
Harmonics and octaves
Real instruments playing 890 Hz also produce harmonics at whole-number multiples of the fundamental. Their relative strength gives each instrument its timbre.
Which animals can hear 890 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 890 Hz
- Piano (88 keys)
- Guitar (standard tuning)
- Violin
- Viola
- Cello
- Harp
- Flute
- Piccolo
- Clarinet (B♭, sounding)
- Oboe
- Trumpet (B♭, sounding)
- Mezzo-soprano voice
- Soprano voice
Frequently asked questions
What does 890 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 890 Hz?
Yes. 890 Hz is inside the typical human hearing range of 20 Hz to 20 kHz.
What musical note is 890 Hz?
890 Hz is 20 cents above A5, which is 880 Hz in standard A440 tuning.
What is the wavelength of 890 Hz?
About 38.5 cm in air at 20 °C and 1.66 m in water.
Can dogs hear 890 Hz?
Yes – dogs hear roughly 67 Hz to 45,000 Hz.