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Tone Generator

Generate pure audio tones with sine, square, sawtooth, and triangle waves in your browser. Fine-tune frequencies to test hearing, align speakers, or tune instruments.

Standard Musical Pitch Presets
Coarse Frequency Adjust Logarithmic Scale
50%

Dual Analyzer (Waveform & Spectrum)

Left: Wave oscilloscope (Time Domain) · Right: Harmonics analyser (FFT Frequency Domain).

What is the Tone Generator?

The Tone Generator (or audio signal generator) is a browser-based signal synthesis utility. It generates continuous, pure pitch waveforms ranging from 20 Hz up to 20,000 Hz, with support for sine, triangle, sawtooth, and square waves.

Tone generators are widely used to align sound systems, tune instruments, test individual speaker drivers, verify headphones, and conduct hearing sensitivity checks.

This tone generator processes audio 100% locally in your browser. All wave generation, volume scaling, and FFT spectrum rendering are executed in real-time on your computer's audio processor without communicating with external servers, ensuring low latency and absolute data privacy.

Waveforms and Harmonics Explained

Each waveform shape generates a unique harmonic footprint. The Dual Analyzer above lets you visualize these differences:

  • Sine Wave: A single pure frequency with no harmonics. It displays as a single peak line on the FFT spectrum. This is the optimal wave for calibrating sound systems.
  • Triangle Wave: Contain odd harmonics that roll off rapidly. It has a mellow, warm character, ideal for tuning stringed instruments.
  • Sawtooth Wave: Contains both even and odd harmonics. It has a bright, buzzy sound (like brass or synthesizer leads) and is extremely useful for checking distortion thresholds.
  • Square Wave: Contains only odd harmonics, dropping off slowly. It has a rich, hollow tone (like a clarinet) and is commonly used to test digital audio scaling and clipping.

Frequently Asked Questions

What waves can this tone generator produce?

This generator supports four standard waveform types: Sine (a pure tone with no harmonics, ideal for calibration), Square (hollow-sounding with odd harmonics, good for testing digital audio limits), Sawtooth (bright, buzzy tone containing all harmonics), and Triangle (mellow tone with soft odd harmonics).

What frequency range is supported?

The generator supports the full standard range of human hearing, from 20 Hz (deep sub-bass feel) to 20,000 Hz (extreme high-pitched treble). You can fine-tune down to 1 Hz increments or use musical note presets.

How do I use a tone generator to tune instruments?

Select a Sine or Triangle wave, set the frequency to the target pitch (e.g. A4 standard tuning pitch of 440 Hz), click Play, and adjust your instrument's tuning until it matches the generated tone without creating audible pitch beats.

Is this tone generator safe for headphone hearing tests?

Yes, but caution must be exercised. Before starting a hearing test, set the volume slider very low (e.g. 5%) to protect your hearing from loud spikes. Play the tone and slowly raise the volume until you can just hear it. Never play high frequencies at loud volumes directly in headphones.

Why do I hear a clicking sound when stopping a tone?

Clicking or popping occurs when an audio waveform is cut off abruptly while its signal is not at zero. To prevent this, our generator uses a fast envelope ramp (fade-in and fade-out of 15 milliseconds) every time you start or stop a tone, providing clean, pop-free transitions.

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