Reference tone
432 Hz — Alternative Tuning (A=432)
432 Hz tunes the A above middle C to 432 hertz — about eight cents lower than the 440 Hz concert-pitch standard used by most modern instruments.
Tap a note to play its exact pitch — C1 to B8
Press Space to play
About the 432 Hz tone
The gap between 432 Hz and 440 Hz is small — roughly a third of a semitone — but some musicians prefer the slightly lower, warmer character of A = 432 for recording and ambient work. The simplest way to decide is to listen: play this tone, then open the 440 Hz page and switch between them.
Tuning a whole instrument to A = 432 shifts every other note down by the same ratio. If you tune by ear against this tone, start with your A string or A key and work outward as usual.
A lot of folklore is attached to 432 Hz online. Setting that aside, it is simply an alternative reference pitch — useful when a track or ensemble you are playing along with was tuned that way.
Technical details
- Frequency
- 432 Hz
- Nearest note
- A4 (-32¢)
- Category
- Reference tone
- Period
- 2.31 ms
- Wavelength (air)
- 79.4 cm
- Octave up / down
- 864 Hz / 216 Hz
Common uses
- Tune an instrument or DAW to A = 432 for recording or performance
- A/B 432 Hz against the 440 Hz standard and pick what you prefer
- A steady low-A reference for ear training