EARS & WAVES

← Frequencies

7.83 Hz.

The Schumann resonance: the Earth’s own electromagnetic hum, about 7.83 times a second. You cannot hear it directly, so here it is as a binaural beat and as a pulsing tone.

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Listen

Tap an example to play it, and again to pause. Binaural beats need headphones: each ear gets its own tone, and the 7.83 Hz difference is what you hear as a slow beat.

What the Schumann resonance is

Lightning strikes somewhere on Earth about fifty times a second, and its radio waves bounce between the ground and the ionosphere. Waves that fit the size of the planet ring the strongest: about 7.83 Hz, with weaker peaks near 14, 20, 26 and 33 Hz. Winfried Otto Schumann predicted this in 1952, and it was first measured in 1960.

It is an electromagnetic wave, not a sound, and 7.83 Hz is far below what ears can hear. “7.83 Hz” tracks play two tones 7.83 Hz apart, or a tone that pulses 7.83 times a second. The idea that they tune you to the Earth is not supported by studies.

Facts that often get mixed up

  • The Schumann resonance is electromagnetic, like radio, not acoustic. No microphone can record it; it is measured with antennas.
  • Its peak is not fixed at 7.83 Hz: it shifts a little with the time of day and with activity in the ionosphere.
  • 7.83 Hz sits on the border between the theta and alpha brain-wave bands. That is a coincidence of numbers; it does not mean your brain tunes to the Earth.
  • Binaural beats only work in headphones. On speakers the two tones mix in the air into an ordinary wobble.
The Schumann resonanceA 7.83 Hz track
What it isRadio waves from lightning, ringing between the ground and the ionosphereTwo tones 7.83 Hz apart, or one tone pulsing 7.83 times a second
Can you hear it?No: it is not sound, and it is below hearing anywayYou hear the tones; the 7.83 Hz is a slow beat or pulse in them
FrequencyAbout 7.83 Hz, shifting a little with the time of dayExactly 7.83 Hz
DiscoveredPredicted in 1952 by W. O. Schumann, first measured in 1960—
Can I hear the Schumann resonance?

No. It is an electromagnetic wave, not a sound, and 7.83 Hz is below the range of hearing. Tracks make it audible as a beat or a pulse.

Is 7.83 Hz good for sleep or grounding?

There is no good evidence for that. A slow, steady beat can be relaxing, as many calm sounds are.

Do I need headphones?

For the binaural beat, yes. The pulsing tone works on speakers too.

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Work in waves.

The Pomodoro rhythm: focus with calm sound in your ears, then take a real break. A soft bell marks every change, so you never watch the clock. Every fourth break is a long one.

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Any color of noise, from deep brown to bright violet — and everything in between.

Brown noise
Spectrum · 20 Hz – 20 kHz

Sound science

The colors of noise

Same randomness, different tilt. Each color shifts energy between low and high pitches — here is what that sounds like.

White

0 dB / octave

Equal energy at every frequency. Because we hear in octaves, it sounds bright and hissy — the classic "TV static".

Pink

−3 dB / octave

Equal energy in every octave, so it sounds even to the ear. Steady rain, rustling leaves. A favorite for focus.

Brown

−6 dB / octave

Deep and warm, like a distant waterfall or a plane cabin. Masks voices and traffic without any hiss.

Grey

Equal-loudness curve

Shaped around how our hearing works, so every pitch seems equally loud. Balanced and soft.

Blue

+3 dB / octave

The mirror of pink: more treble than bass. Airy, crisp, like a light spray.

Violet

+6 dB / octave

Mostly treble, like hissing water. Sometimes used to mask high-pitched ringing.

Calm

Gentle tones to settle into: singing bowls, a slow warm drone, wind chimes tuned so every note fits.

Frequencies

Famous tones on pages of their own: hear them side by side, with honest facts.

Sound phenomena

How sound bends, shifts, rings and fools the ear, and why space is silent: hear it for yourself.

Nature

Rooms & travel

Animals & countryside

A purring cat, whales and dolphins, a nightingale in the dark, cowbells on a summer pasture. Wonderful in stereo.

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Hearing and speaker tests

Check your ears, headphones and speakers, each test on a page of its own with a live picture.

Ear Age · 60 seconds

Test your ears.

Our ears lose the highest pitches first, and it starts early. Find the highest tone you can still hear and see the typical age for it.

  • Headphones on, quiet room
  • Set a comfortable volume on the 1 kHz tone
  • Don't turn it up when a tone disappears — that's the point
20,000Hz

Can you still hear it?

Hearing age test →

More ear tests

Check your headphones, find the deepest bass your setup can play, or play any pitch you like.

Headphones check

Left & right

Each ear should get its own side. It matters for 8D, binaural beats and every stereo sound here.

Headphones on, then tap a side.

Bass test

How low can you go?

Deep tones from 200 Hz down to 20 Hz, the bottom of human hearing. Mostly it tests your speakers or headphones.

Tone generator

Any pitch, 20 Hz – 20 kHz

Hz

Start quiet: high tones and square waves get tiring fast.

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