432 Hz or 440 Hz?
How big is the difference?
Tuning differences are measured as ratios: 440/432 corresponds to about 31.8 cents. A semitone is 100 cents. For listeners without absolute pitch, the difference within a single piece usually goes unnoticed.
Try it with your own ears
In the harmonics and tuning tool, switch A4 between 440 and 432 Hz. Then listen to just and equal-tempered intervals: the structure of the intervals makes a more noticeable difference than absolute pitch.
What does the evidence say?
There are small, inconsistent preliminary findings; we offer 432 Hz as a tuning preference.
▲ C · Preliminary/mixed evidence- What do we know?
- Small studies reported a borderline drop in heart rate with 432 Hz (33 people) and, in cancer patients with a live monochord, slightly larger drops in heart rate and pulse-wave velocity than with 443 Hz (43 people). In a trial with 162 students in Türkiye, 432 Hz music raised one salivary biomarker (GRP78), which is not a measure of calm.
- What don't we know?
- Results are inconsistent: in emergency staff, anxiety also fell without music and groups were not compared with each other; in kickboxers, 440 Hz music was linked to better performance than 432 Hz; in students, attention-test scores did not differ between groups. Studies are small and mostly pilots.
Evidence levels and sources come from the database; the article adds no new claims. Evidence methodology
Frequently asked questions
- Should I convert my music to 432 Hz?
- It is entirely a matter of taste. Frekans Studio offers 432 Hz as a tuning preference and claims no health advantage.
Listen and try
Last updated: 1 October 2026 · This article is for information only; it is not medical advice.