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432 Hz vs 440 Hz

432 Hz tuning sets A4 to 432 Hz instead of the standard 440 Hz. That lowers every note by 31.77 cents, about a third of a semitone: the same notes and chords, a little lower and a touch darker.

Hear the difference

Play A4 at 440 Hz, then at 432 Hz. Side by side the second is a little lower. Heard on its own, with nothing to compare it to, most people cannot tell which tuning a song is in.

Is 432 Hz better?

Claims that 432 Hz heals, calms or matches the vibration of the universe have no good evidence behind them, and the few studies of it are small.

What is true is that it is a little lower, and some people like how that sounds. That is a fine reason to use it.

How to make music at 432 Hz

Set each instrument’s tuner to A = 432 Hz, or in a music app set the master tuning to 432 Hz, or each track’s fine tune 31.77 cents down. Samples and loops made at 440 need the same change, or they will sound out of tune with the rest.

The middle octave at 440 and 432 Hz

Every note at 432 Hz is 0.98 times its frequency at 440.

The middle octave at 440 and 432 Hz
NoteA4 = 440A4 = 432
C4261.63 Hz256.87 Hz
C♯4277.18 Hz272.14 Hz
D4293.66 Hz288.33 Hz
D♯4311.13 Hz305.47 Hz
E4329.63 Hz323.63 Hz
F4349.23 Hz342.88 Hz
F♯4369.99 Hz363.27 Hz
G4392 Hz384.87 Hz
G♯4415.3 Hz407.75 Hz
A4440 Hz432 Hz
A♯4466.16 Hz457.69 Hz
B4493.88 Hz484.9 Hz

Any note’s frequency

Pick a note and an octave, or type a frequency for its note. Every note is on the note frequency chart.

A4 =
A4440 HzThe tuning note, A4

Equal temperament, the tuning of a piano and of almost all music: each note is the twelfth root of two higher than the one below.

Questions

What is 432 Hz?

A tuning that sets the A above middle C to 432 Hz instead of 440 Hz, so every note is a little lower.

How much lower is 432 Hz than 440 Hz?

31.77 cents, about a third of a semitone. Every note’s frequency is 432 ÷ 440, about 0.98, times its standard one: middle C goes from 261.63 Hz to 256.87 Hz.

Is 432 Hz healing?

There is no good evidence that it is. The few studies are small, and none show it does more for you than music you like at 440 Hz.

Is most music in 432 Hz?

No. A few artists record at 432 Hz, but almost all released music, instruments and music apps are tuned to 440 Hz.

More about note frequencies

Middle C frequency

C4, 261.63 Hz: where it is, and why some apps call it C3 or C5.

A440: the 440 Hz tuning note

Why most music tunes A4 to 440 Hz, and who tunes higher.

Play the notes in a beat

Open the free editor and every note is a key on its piano roll. Drums, bass, chords and a melody, each its own part.

Start a beatNote frequency chart

Keep going