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What does 860 Hz sound like?
860 Hz is a midrange frequency. It is a clear midrange tone, close to where the human ear does most of its work for speech and melody.
A 860 Hz sound wave completes 860 cycles every second, so one cycle lasts 1.16 ms. In air at 20 °C, where sound travels at about 343 m/s, each wave is 39.9 cm (1.31 ft) long; in water it stretches to 1.72 m because sound moves about 4.3 times faster there.
Musically, 860 Hz is 40 cents below A5 (880 Hz) in standard A440 tuning. Doubling it to 1,720 Hz raises the pitch by one octave; halving it to 430 Hz lowers it by one.
Wavelength of 860 Hz in different materials
| Medium | Speed of sound | Wavelength |
|---|---|---|
| Air (20 °C) | 343 m/s | 39.9 cm |
| Fresh water | 1,481 m/s | 1.72 m |
| Seawater | 1,500 m/s | 1.74 m |
| Helium | 1,007 m/s | 1.17 m |
| Steel | 5,960 m/s | 6.93 m |
| Glass | 5,640 m/s | 6.56 m |
Harmonics and octaves
Real instruments playing 860 Hz also produce harmonics at whole-number multiples of the fundamental. Their relative strength gives each instrument its timbre.
Which animals can hear 860 Hz?
Can hear it
Humans, Dogs, Cats, Horses, Cows, Sheep, Pigs, Goats, Rabbits, Rats, Gerbils, Guinea pigs, Hedgehogs, Raccoons, Ferrets, Opossums, Chinchillas, Elephants, Bottlenose dolphins, Chickens, Canaries, Budgerigars (parakeets), Cockatiels, Owls, Bullfrogs, Tree frogs, Goldfish, Catfish, Tuna
Cannot hear it
Instruments and voices that can play 860 Hz
- Piano (88 keys)
- Guitar (standard tuning)
- Violin
- Viola
- Cello
- Harp
- Flute
- Piccolo
- Clarinet (B♭, sounding)
- Oboe
- Trumpet (B♭, sounding)
- Mezzo-soprano voice
- Soprano voice
Frequently asked questions
What does 860 Hz sound like?
It is a clear midrange tone, close to where the human ear does most of its work for speech and melody.
Can humans hear 860 Hz?
Yes. 860 Hz is inside the typical human hearing range of 20 Hz to 20 kHz.
What musical note is 860 Hz?
860 Hz is 40 cents below A5, which is 880 Hz in standard A440 tuning.
What is the wavelength of 860 Hz?
About 39.9 cm in air at 20 °C and 1.72 m in water.
Can dogs hear 860 Hz?
Yes – dogs hear roughly 67 Hz to 45,000 Hz.