432 Hz tuning vs 440 Hz
432 Hz is not a solfeggio tone. It is an alternative tuning for the note A, used instead of the ISO 16 standard of A = 440 Hz. Retuning a song to 432 lowers every note by the same small amount: about 32 cents, a third of a semitone.
- Nearest noteA4 −32¢
- Period2.31 ms
- Wavelength in air0.79 m
Use the A/B switch below to hear the same note at both tunings back to back. The difference is small; most people only notice it side by side.
432 vs 440: hear the gap
Tap each A, or let it alternate every 1.5 seconds. The difference is 31.77 cents lower, about a third of a semitone. Every note shifts by the same ratio (432/440 = 0.98182).
| Note | A = 440 tuning | A = 432 tuning | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| C4 | 261.63 Hz | 256.87 Hz | −4.76 Hz |
| D4 | 293.66 Hz | 288.33 Hz | −5.33 Hz |
| E4 | 329.63 Hz | 323.63 Hz | −6.00 Hz |
| F4 | 349.23 Hz | 342.88 Hz | −6.35 Hz |
| G4 | 392 Hz | 384.87 Hz | −7.13 Hz |
| A4 | 440 Hz | 432 Hz | −8.00 Hz |
| B4 | 493.88 Hz | 484.9 Hz | −8.98 Hz |
| C5 | 523.25 Hz | 513.74 Hz | −9.51 Hz |
What 432 Hz is claimed to do
- Said to be “mathematically consistent with the universe”
- Described as warmer and more relaxing than 440 Hz
- Linked (wrongly) to Verdi and to a Nazi-era plot behind 440 Hz
What the evidence says
Verdi did favour a lower pitch, but his proposed A was 432 Hz for practical singing reasons, and the 440 Hz standard was set by international agreement (1939, then ISO 16 in 1975) to stop orchestras drifting sharp. One small study, Calamassi and Pomponi (Explore, 2019, 33 people), found slightly lower heart rates listening to 432 Hz-tuned music than 440 Hz. That is a weak, unreplicated result. Many listeners do hear 432 as a touch darker, simply because everything is lower.
432 Hz: common questions
Is 432 Hz better than 440 Hz?
Neither is objectively better. 432 Hz tuning lowers every note by about 32 cents. Some listeners find it warmer; one small study found slightly lower heart rate.
What is 432 Hz music?
Music with its reference A tuned to 432 Hz rather than 440 Hz, either performed that way or pitch-shifted afterwards.
How do I convert a song to 432 Hz?
Pitch-shift it down by 31.77 cents (a ratio of 432/440 = 0.9818) in any audio editor.
Did the Nazis pick 440 Hz?
No. 440 Hz was agreed at an international conference in London in 1939 and standardised as ISO 16 in 1975, after decades of pitch drift.