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 96 Hz sound like?
96 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 96 Hz sound wave completes 96 cycles every second, so one cycle lasts 10.4 ms. In air at 20 °C, where sound travels at about 343 m/s, each wave is 3.57 m (11.72 ft) long; in water it stretches to 15.43 m because sound moves about 4.3 times faster there.
Musically, 96 Hz is 36 cents below G2 (98 Hz) in standard A440 tuning. Doubling it to 192 Hz raises the pitch by one octave; halving it to 48 Hz lowers it by one.
Wavelength of 96 Hz in different materials
| Medium | Speed of sound | Wavelength |
|---|---|---|
| Air (20 °C) | 343 m/s | 3.57 m |
| Fresh water | 1,481 m/s | 15.43 m |
| Seawater | 1,500 m/s | 15.62 m |
| Helium | 1,007 m/s | 10.49 m |
| Steel | 5,960 m/s | 62.08 m |
| Glass | 5,640 m/s | 58.75 m |
Harmonics and octaves
Real instruments playing 96 Hz also produce harmonics at whole-number multiples of the fundamental. Their relative strength gives each instrument its timbre.
Which animals can hear 96 Hz?
Can hear it
Humans, Dogs, Cats, Horses, Cows, Pigs, Goats, Guinea pigs, Ferrets, Chinchillas, Elephants, Bottlenose dolphins, Tree frogs, Goldfish, Catfish, Tuna
Cannot hear it
Sheep, Rabbits, Rats, Mice, Gerbils, Hedgehogs, Raccoons, Opossums, Bats, Beluga whales, Chickens, Canaries, Budgerigars (parakeets), Cockatiels, Owls, Bullfrogs, Greater wax moths
Instruments and voices that can play 96 Hz
Frequently asked questions
What does 96 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 96 Hz?
Yes. 96 Hz is inside the typical human hearing range of 20 Hz to 20 kHz.
What musical note is 96 Hz?
96 Hz is 36 cents below G2, which is 98 Hz in standard A440 tuning.
What is the wavelength of 96 Hz?
About 3.57 m in air at 20 °C and 15.43 m in water.
Can dogs hear 96 Hz?
Yes – dogs hear roughly 67 Hz to 45,000 Hz.