The 432 Hz tuning fork.
What is 432 Hz?
432 Hz means 432 vibrations per second. In music it is used as an alternative value for the note A above middle C, which today is standardised at 440 Hz. Measured in cents, the unit musicians use for small pitch differences, 432 Hz lies about 32 cents below 440 Hz. A semitone has 100 cents, so the difference is roughly a third of a semitone: audible side by side, subtle on its own.
What note is 432 Hz?
It is an A. In an orchestra tuned to 440 Hz it would sound like a slightly flat A. If an entire instrument is tuned with A = 432 Hz, every other note shifts down by the same small amount and the music simply sounds a touch lower.
Where the 432 Hz idea comes from
Concert pitch has never been fixed by nature; for centuries it varied from city to city. Giuseppe Verdi wrote his Requiem of 1874 for the French standard of 435 Hz and later indicated that 432 Hz would be slightly better for orchestras. Since 1988 the Schiller Institute has promoted 432 Hz as "Verdi tuning". Today's standard of 440 Hz was set for practical reasons; the full story is in our guide 432 Hz vs 440 Hz.
What 432 Hz is not
Online you will find claims that 432 Hz resonates with the body, the earth or the universe, or that it heals. These claims are not backed by robust scientific evidence, and some come from conspiracy narratives around the 440 Hz standard. We like 432 Hz for a simpler reason: it is a slightly lower, darker A, and choosing it is a small, deliberate act. That is what a ritual is.
A 432 Hz fork you can wear
The Cosmic Wishing Fork is a tuning fork tuned to 432 Hz, made to be worn: 316L stainless steel, in five finishes. It is not on sale yet. Join the list to hear when it opens.
Questions
Is 432 Hz better than 440 Hz?
Neither is better in any measurable way. 440 Hz is the international standard, which makes playing together easy. 432 Hz is a slightly lower alternative that some people prefer to listen to.
Is 432 Hz a healing frequency?
No scientific evidence shows that 432 Hz has healing effects. Our Fork is a ritual object, not a medical device.
Can I hear the difference between 432 Hz and 440 Hz?
Played one after the other, most people can hear that 432 Hz is a little lower. On its own, without a reference, the difference is hard to notice.