What is the difference between sine, square, sawtooth, and triangle waves?

A sine wave is a pure tone with no harmonics — the smoothest waveform. A square wave contains only odd harmonics and sounds hollow or buzzy. A sawtooth wave contains all harmonics and sounds bright and harsh. A triangle wave contains only odd harmonics but they roll off faster than square, giving a softer, flute-like sound.

Why can I not hear tones above a certain frequency?

Human hearing typically ranges from 20 Hz to 20 kHz, but the upper limit decreases with age. Most adults over 40 cannot hear above 14–16 kHz. If high-frequency tones are inaudible, this is normal. Your speakers or headphones may also have a limited frequency response.

Is the audio generated on the server?

No. All audio is generated entirely in your browser using the Web Audio API. Nothing is sent to or downloaded from any server.

Why does the square wave sound louder than the sine wave at the same setting?

Square waves have a higher RMS (root mean square) energy than sine waves at the same peak amplitude. The volume slider controls peak amplitude, so a square wave will perceptually sound about 3 dB louder than a sine wave at the same slider position. Reduce the volume when switching to square or sawtooth to compensate.

Can I use this to test my hearing?

You can sweep the frequency range to get a rough idea of your audible range, but this tool is not a calibrated audiometer. For a proper hearing test, use a licensed audiologist and calibrated equipment.

Why does the tone click when I start or stop it?

Clicks occur when audio starts or stops at a non-zero amplitude (a discontinuity). This tool applies a short 10 ms fade-in and fade-out (attack/release) to minimize these artifacts, but brief clicks can still occur depending on your operating system audio buffer settings.

Tone Generator

Name: Tone Generator
Availability: InStock
Author: Nham Vu

Generate pure sine, square, sawtooth, or triangle wave tones at any frequency from 20 Hz to 20 kHz directly in your browser.

Waveform

Frequency

20 Hz 20 000 Hz

Note Presets

Volume 50%

Oscilloscope

440 Hz — Sine

Frequency Reference

Current Frequency

440 Hz

Wavelength (in air)

0.78 m

Period

2.27 ms

Nearest Note

Summary

Generate pure sine, square, sawtooth, or triangle wave tones at any frequency from 20 Hz to 20 kHz directly in your browser.

How it works

Select a waveform type: sine (pure tone), square, sawtooth, or triangle.
Enter a frequency in Hz, or use the slider to sweep the range.
Adjust the volume with the volume slider (0–100%).
Click Play to start the tone; click Stop to end it.
The oscilloscope canvas updates in real time to show the current waveform.
Use the frequency presets (A4 = 440 Hz, etc.) for quick access to musical notes.

Use cases

Test speaker frequency response across the audible spectrum.
Tune musical instruments by ear using precise reference tones.
Check hearing range — sweep from 20 Hz up to find your upper limit.
Generate reference tones for audio engineering and mixing sessions.
Demonstrate waveform shapes and harmonics in music or physics education.
Test audio equipment or headphones for distortion at specific frequencies.
Create simple alert or notification tones for prototyping.
Verify that a room or PA system has no resonant frequency problems.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Last updated: 2026-05-29 · Reviewed by Nham Vu