The Lab
432 Hz vs 440 Hz
Hear one piece of music at both tunings and switch between them mid-phrase. Listen with our passage, or bring your own song: retune it to 432 Hz, compare it with the original, and download it. Everything happens in your browser.
A = 440Hz
Silent · standard pitch
Can you hear it?
A blind test: 5 rounds, each playing a hidden tuning. Compare it with both references, then name it.
The passage is played live by your browser, so both versions are identical in every way except their tuning. Listen at a comfortable level; headphones help with small differences.
What changes between the two
Tuning to A = 432 Hz lowers every note by the same proportion, about 1.8%, or roughly 32 cents: a third of a semitone. The melody, the harmony and the timing stay exactly the same. The whole piece simply rests a little lower.
| Note | A = 440 | A = 432 |
|---|---|---|
| D4the passage's home note | 293.66 Hz | 288.33 Hz |
| A4the reference note itself | 440.00 Hz | 432.00 Hz |
| C5an octave above middle C | 523.25 Hz | 513.74 Hz |
How to listen
- Stay with each tuning for a while before switching. Differences this small reveal themselves slowly.
- Switch in the middle of a phrase, and notice the moment of change rather than trying to judge either version on its own.
- Listen for colour rather than pitch: brightness, warmth, how forward or settled the sound feels.
- Knowing which version is playing can colour what you notice. That is why the blind test hides the answer until you have chosen.