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What does 4,000 Hz sound like?
4,000 Hz is a presence frequency. It is a high, piercing whistle. The ear is still very sensitive here, so even quiet playback sounds loud.
A 4,000 Hz sound wave completes 4,000 cycles every second, so one cycle lasts 250 µs. In air at 20 °C, where sound travels at about 343 m/s, each wave is 8.6 cm (3.38 in) long; in water it stretches to 37.0 cm because sound moves about 4.3 times faster there.
Musically, 4,000 Hz is 21 cents above B7 (3.951 kHz) in standard A440 tuning. Doubling it to 8,000 Hz raises the pitch by one octave; halving it to 2,000 Hz lowers it by one.
Wavelength of 4,000 Hz in different materials
| Medium | Speed of sound | Wavelength |
|---|---|---|
| Air (20 °C) | 343 m/s | 8.6 cm |
| Fresh water | 1,481 m/s | 37.0 cm |
| Seawater | 1,500 m/s | 37.5 cm |
| Helium | 1,007 m/s | 25.2 cm |
| Steel | 5,960 m/s | 1.49 m |
| Glass | 5,640 m/s | 1.41 m |
Harmonics and octaves
Real instruments playing 4,000 Hz also produce harmonics at whole-number multiples of the fundamental. Their relative strength gives each instrument its timbre.
Which animals can hear 4,000 Hz?
Can hear it
Humans, Dogs, Cats, Horses, Cows, Sheep, Pigs, Goats, Rabbits, Rats, Mice, Gerbils, Guinea pigs, Hedgehogs, Raccoons, Ferrets, Opossums, Chinchillas, Bats, Elephants, Beluga whales, Bottlenose dolphins, Canaries, Budgerigars (parakeets), Cockatiels, Owls, Tree frogs, Catfish, Greater wax moths
Instruments and voices that can play 4,000 Hz
Frequently asked questions
What does 4,000 Hz sound like?
It is a high, piercing whistle. The ear is still very sensitive here, so even quiet playback sounds loud.
Can humans hear 4,000 Hz?
Yes. 4,000 Hz is inside the typical human hearing range of 20 Hz to 20 kHz.
What musical note is 4,000 Hz?
4,000 Hz is 21 cents above B7, which is 3.951 kHz in standard A440 tuning.
What is the wavelength of 4,000 Hz?
About 8.6 cm in air at 20 °C and 37.0 cm in water.
Can dogs hear 4,000 Hz?
Yes – dogs hear roughly 67 Hz to 45,000 Hz.