Tinnitus Frequency Matcher
Find the pitch and loudness that best match the ringing, buzzing or hissing you hear, using a fine-tuned tone, narrow-band noise or hiss and a guided A-or-B test. Then generate white or pink noise with a notch cut out around your tinnitus frequency.
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Protect your hearing: set your device volume low before you start, use headphones, and raise the level only until the sound is just as loud as your tinnitus. Stop if anything feels uncomfortable.
1 Match your tinnitus pitch and loudness
Which one sounds most like your tinnitus? People often mistake a pitch for one an octave higher or lower.
2 Notched noise for sound therapy
Plays broadband noise with a gap (notch) cut out around your matched frequency, the idea behind "notched" sound therapy. Keep it at a comfortable, low level.
This is a self-help tool, not a medical test. Tinnitus that is new, one-sided, pulsing in time with your heartbeat, or comes with hearing loss or dizziness should be checked by a doctor or audiologist.
How to use the Tinnitus Frequency Matcher
- Turn your device volume down, put on headphones and choose the sound type that resembles your tinnitus: tone (ringing), narrow noise (buzzing) or hiss.
- Press Play matching tone and move the frequency slider until the pitch sounds like your tinnitus, then fine-tune with the semitone and fine buttons. Or press Start guided match and simply choose A or B eight times.
- Run the octave check and pick whichever of ½×, 1× or 2× sounds closest.
- Match the loudness with the loudness slider until the tone is about as loud as your tinnitus, then press Save this match. Repeat on other days for a steadier result.
- Play notched noise in section 2 at a comfortable low level, or download the WAV loop to use with any music player.
How the tinnitus matcher works
Pitch matching plays a sound whose frequency you control on a logarithmic scale from 125 Hz to 16 kHz, the way pitch is perceived. Each semitone step changes the frequency by a factor of 21/12 (about 5.9%), and the fine step is a quarter semitone. The guided match is a two-choice bracketing test: it starts with the range 250 Hz to 12 kHz, plays a lower (A) and a higher (B) candidate, and halves the range toward your choice eight times, keeping a small overlap so an early mistake can still be corrected.
Notched noise is built in the frequency domain: the tool creates white or pink noise with random phases, removes the band from f ÷ 2w/2 to f × 2w/2 (where f is your frequency and w the notch width in octaves) with smooth edges, and converts it back to sound with an inverse FFT. Because the result is periodic, the roughly 6-second buffer loops seamlessly, and the left and right channels use different random noise for a natural, spacious sound.
Notch edges for common tinnitus frequencies
| Matched frequency | Musical note | ½ octave notch | 1 octave notch |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,000 Hz | about B5 | 841 – 1,189 Hz | 707 – 1,414 Hz |
| 2,000 Hz | about B6 | 1,682 – 2,378 Hz | 1,414 – 2,828 Hz |
| 4,000 Hz | about B7 | 3,364 – 4,757 Hz | 2,828 – 5,657 Hz |
| 6,000 Hz | about F♯8 | 5,045 – 7,135 Hz | 4,243 – 8,485 Hz |
| 8,000 Hz | about B8 | 6,727 – 9,514 Hz | 5,657 – 11,314 Hz |
| 12,000 Hz | about F♯9 | 10,091 – 14,270 Hz | 8,485 – 16,971 Hz |
Tips for an accurate match
- Match in a quiet room when your tinnitus is at its usual level, not right after loud noise.
- Test the ear where tinnitus is strongest. If you hear it in both ears or "in the head", use Both.
- Compare briefly. Listen to the tone for a second or two, pause, and listen to your tinnitus again. Long tones can temporarily mask or change it.
- Try all three sound types. If a pure tone never sounds right, your tinnitus may be closer to narrow noise or hiss.
- Repeat over several days and use the average of your saved matches.
- Listen to notched noise at a low level for a set time each day rather than very long or loud sessions.
Hearing professionals can measure tinnitus pitch and loudness with calibrated equipment and check your hearing. Use this tool to explore and describe your tinnitus, not to diagnose it.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find my tinnitus frequency?
Play a tone and adjust its pitch until it sounds as close as possible to your tinnitus, comparing several times. A two-choice test (is A or B closer?) helps you zero in, and an octave check matters because many people mistake a pitch for one an octave higher or lower. Audiologists use the same kind of pitch and loudness matching.
What frequency is tinnitus usually?
It varies a lot from person to person. Many people match their tinnitus to a high pitch, often several thousand hertz, and it frequently lies near the range where their hearing is weakest. Some hear low hums or broad hissing instead, which is why this tool offers tone, narrow noise and hiss.
What is notched noise or notched sound therapy?
Notched sound therapy plays broadband sound or music with a gap (usually about one octave wide) removed around the person's tinnitus frequency. The idea, first tested in small studies around 2010, is that listening regularly may reduce activity in the brain area tuned to that pitch. Research results have been mixed, so treat it as something to try, not a proven cure.
How loud should the sounds be?
Keep everything quiet. For matching, raise the level only until the tone is about as loud as your tinnitus. For notched noise, use a soft, comfortable level that does not cover up your tinnitus completely. Loud sound can damage hearing and may make tinnitus worse.
Why does my match change from day to day?
Tinnitus often fluctuates, and matching is a judgment task, so results vary by a few semitones between sessions. Save several matches on different days; the tool shows their average, which is a more reliable estimate than any single match.
Can my headphones or speakers affect the result?
Yes. Small speakers and some earbuds play very high or low frequencies poorly, and many devices cannot reproduce sound above about 15 to 16 kHz. Use decent over-ear or in-ear headphones, and remember that the decibel values here are relative to your device's maximum output, not calibrated hearing levels.
When should I see a doctor about tinnitus?
See a doctor or audiologist if your tinnitus is new, only in one ear, pulses in time with your heartbeat, started after a head injury, or comes with hearing loss, dizziness or ear pain. A professional hearing test can also identify hearing loss that hearing aids or other treatments may help.
Are all the tools on FreeToolCabin tested for quality and accuracy?
Yes! Every tool on our site undergoes automated Q/A testing in real browser environments to ensure high precision, correct output, and zero errors. If you happen to spot a bug or have a suggestion, please contact us at [email protected] and our team will review it right away.