All 9 Solfeggio Frequencies: List, Chart and Meanings
The nine tones from 174 Hz to 963 Hz: where the scale comes from, how each one sounds, what it is traditionally used for, and what the evidence does and does not support.
Solfeggio frequencies are nine tones used in modern sound practice. Their names come from medieval solfège, but the numbers were derived in the 1990s. Calm, steady sound can help you relax, and one small study found lower cortisol after music tuned to 528 Hz. Most individual frequencies have never been tested, and claims like DNA repair are not supported. Use them as a structured, calming sound practice: no headphones needed.
Solfeggio frequencies chart: the complete list
All nine solfeggio frequencies, from lowest to highest. Notes are for standard tuning (A4 = 440 Hz). The traditional uses come from modern solfeggio writing, not from research; the last column says whether the frequency has been tested on its own.
| Frequency | Name | Nearest note | Syllable | Traditional use | Tested on its own? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 174 Hz | Foundation | ≈ F3 | none | Grounding, physical ease, pain relief | No |
| 285 Hz | Renewal | between C♯4 and D4 | none | Renewal, "tissue regeneration" | No |
| 396 Hz | Liberation | ≈ G4 | UT | Releasing fear and guilt | No |
| 417 Hz | Transmutation | ≈ A♭4 | RE | Facilitating change | No |
| 528 Hz | Transformation | just above C5 | MI | Transformation, "DNA repair" | One small study (9 people) |
| 639 Hz | Connection | between E♭5 and E5 | FA | Relationships, communication | No |
| 741 Hz | Awakening | ≈ F♯5 | SOL | Intuition, expression, "detox" | No |
| 852 Hz | Intuition | between A♭5 and A5 | LA | Spiritual order, intuition | No |
| 963 Hz | Divine Connection | between B♭5 and B5 | none | "Divine connection", pineal gland | No |
UT, RE, MI, FA, SOL and LA are the syllables of the medieval hymn Ut queant laxis, matched to the six original frequencies in 1999. 174, 285 and 963 Hz were added later and have no syllable. Lists of "healing frequencies" often add other numbers too; see other frequencies you will see on lists.
Physical tension, somatic anxiety, a low room tone during the sleep wind-down.
A quiet background during rest and recovery.
Anxiety and fear, morning grounding. The easiest starting point for new users.
Morning sessions, transitions, moving on from the previous day.
Daytime calm and clarity, preparation before a demanding task.
Openness and receptivity, generative creative work.
Daytime sessions where you want to stay sharp.
Open-awareness meditation once a practice is established.
Short contemplative sessions. Not for sleep.
All 9 frequencies, free in the app
Solfeggio Sanctuary generates all frequencies from 174 Hz to 963 Hz in real time, with pure tones and tuning forks. The free version shows ads. Pro, €4.89 once, removes all ads and adds crystal and Tibetan bowls and 60-minute sessions.
Where the solfeggio scale comes from
The name comes from the medieval hymn to St. John the Baptist, Ut queant laxis. Each line begins one step higher, and in the 11th century Guido d'Arezzo used its opening syllables, ut, re, mi, fa, sol, la, to teach sight-singing. That is the origin of solfège.
The frequencies are modern. In the 1990s Joseph Puleo derived six numbers, 396, 417, 528, 639, 741 and 852, from verse numbers in the Book of Numbers, an account published by Horowitz and Puleo in 1999. Three more, 174, 285 and 963, were added later. There is no evidence that medieval singers used these frequencies: pitch was not standardised, and measuring sound in cycles per second is a modern practice. The scale is a modern construction with a medieval name. That does not make it useless, it just means its value has to come from how it works for you today, not from ancient authority.
The 9 frequencies in detail
Notes are given for standard tuning (A4 at 440 Hz). The traditional associations come from the modern solfeggio literature and are not research findings.
174 Hz · Foundation
≈ F3- Sound
- The lowest tone in the scale, around the pitch of a relaxed speaking voice. Small phone speakers barely reproduce it.
- Tradition
- Grounding and physical ease.
- Good for
- Physical tension, somatic anxiety, a low room tone during the sleep wind-down.
285 Hz · Renewal
between C♯4 and D4- Sound
- Warm and rounded, gentler than 174 Hz.
- Tradition
- Restoration. The claim of tissue regeneration has no evidence behind it.
- Good for
- A quiet background during rest and recovery.
396 Hz · Liberation
≈ G4- Sound
- Warm, mid-low, settling.
- Tradition
- Releasing fear and guilt.
- Good for
- Anxiety and fear, morning grounding. The easiest starting point for new users.
417 Hz · Transmutation
≈ A♭4- Sound
- A little brighter and more forward than 396 Hz.
- Tradition
- Clearing, facilitating change.
- Good for
- Morning sessions, transitions, moving on from the previous day.
528 Hz · Transformation
just above C5- Sound
- Clear and bright without being sharp.
- Tradition
- The "love frequency". The DNA repair claim is not supported.
- Good for
- Daytime calm and clarity, preparation before a demanding task.
639 Hz · Connection
between E♭5 and E5- Sound
- Upper-mid, rich and open.
- Tradition
- Relationships and communication.
- Good for
- Openness and receptivity, generative creative work.
741 Hz · Awakening
≈ F♯5- Sound
- Bright and pointed, more activating than settling.
- Tradition
- Expression and intuition. The "detox" claim is not supported.
- Good for
- Daytime sessions where you want to stay sharp.
852 Hz · Intuition
between A♭5 and A5- Sound
- High, bright, spacious.
- Tradition
- Inner order and insight.
- Good for
- Open-awareness meditation once a practice is established.
963 Hz · Divine Connection
between B♭5 and B5- Sound
- The highest and most activating tone in the scale.
- Tradition
- Contemplation. The "pineal activation" claim is not supported.
- Good for
- Short contemplative sessions. Not for sleep.
How solfeggio frequencies affect you: what is known
When you hear a steady tone, neurons in the auditory brainstem fire in step with it. This frequency-following response is how the auditory system encodes pitch, and it is well documented (Skoe & Kraus, 2010). It shows that the brain registers the tone precisely. On its own, it does not show that a particular frequency calms you or changes your mood.
What does have support is the broader point that a short session of calm, steady sound can lower anxiety and stress. The most specific evidence for a solfeggio frequency is a small study by Akimoto and colleagues (2018): nine people listened to the same music tuned to 528 Hz and to 440 Hz, and after the 528 Hz version their cortisol was lower 30 minutes later, oxytocin was higher and mood scores improved. It has not been replicated, and no study has tested most of the other frequencies.
- DNA repair (528 Hz): based on test-tube experiments with recorded music, not with 528 Hz and not in living people.
- Tissue regeneration (285 Hz): no studies.
- Detox from electromagnetic radiation (741 Hz): no studies.
- Pineal gland activation (963 Hz): no studies.
For a fuller look at the evidence, see Do Solfeggio Frequencies Actually Work?
Other "healing frequencies" you will see on lists
Lists of healing frequencies usually mix the nine solfeggio tones with other numbers that have different origins. The most common:
- 432 Hz. Not a single tone but an alternative tuning for music, with A set to 432 Hz instead of 440 Hz. In a small pilot study of 33 people, the same soundtracks tuned to 432 Hz lowered heart rate slightly more than at 440 Hz (Calamassi & Pomponi, 2019). The authors call for larger trials.
- 40 Hz. A rhythm in the gamma band, not a pitch. In mice, flickering light and trains of clicks at 40 Hz reduced Alzheimer's-related changes (Iaccarino et al., 2016; Martorell et al., 2019). Human trials are small and early. See gamma waves and 40 Hz.
- 7.83 Hz. The Schumann resonance, an electromagnetic resonance of the space between the Earth and the ionosphere. It is far below the range of hearing, so "Schumann" tracks use it as the difference in a binaural beat rather than as a tone. See resonance frequency science.
- Binaural beat bands. Delta, theta, alpha, beta and gamma are brainwave ranges (roughly 1 to 40 Hz), produced as the difference between two tones, one in each ear. They have more research behind them than the solfeggio tones. See the brainwave states guide.
Solfeggio frequencies vs binaural beats
A solfeggio frequency is a single tone, the same in both ears, so it works through a speaker. Binaural beats play two slightly different tones, one per ear, and the brain perceives the difference as a slow beat in the brainwave range; they need stereo headphones and have more research behind them for sleep, anxiety and focus. The two combine well: a solfeggio tone through the room, a binaural beat through earbuds. See the full comparison.
How to choose and use them
- Choose by the state you want. Anxious or tense: 396 Hz, or 174 Hz if the tension is physical. Starting the day: 417 Hz. Clear head for daytime work: 528 Hz. Open, receptive: 639 Hz. Contemplative: 852 or 963 Hz, in short sessions. Winding down for sleep: the low tones, never the high ones.
- 10 to 20 minutes is enough for a session. Doing it daily matters more than doing it long.
- Speakers are fine. Keep the volume low enough that it sits in the background.
- Layer if you like. Start with a pure tone, then add a tuning fork or bowl for a richer sound. The instrument changes the experience, not the frequency.
- Use a precise source. Many tracks online are compressed audio files. Solfeggio Sanctuary generates each tone in real time, so the frequency does not drift; see how it compares with YouTube videos.
- Treat the names as labels, not promises. They help you pick a tone for a purpose; they are not guaranteed effects.
Common questions
What are solfeggio frequencies?
Nine specific tones from 174 Hz to 963 Hz used in modern sound practice. The names come from the medieval solfège syllables, but the frequencies themselves were derived in the 1990s, not taken from medieval music.
Do solfeggio frequencies work?
Listening to calm, steady sound can help you relax, and one small study found lower cortisol and better mood after music tuned to 528 Hz. No study has tested most individual frequencies, and claims such as DNA repair or pineal activation have no evidence behind them.
Do I need headphones for solfeggio frequencies?
No. A solfeggio tone is the same in both ears, so a speaker works. Headphones only help in a noisy room. Binaural beats are different and do require stereo headphones.
Related articles
- 528 Hz: Meaning, Research and How to Use It
- 396 Hz for Anxiety
- The Best Solfeggio Frequency for Sleep
- How to Use Solfeggio Frequencies for Meditation
- The History of Solfeggio Frequencies
References
- Akimoto, K., Hu, A., Yamaguchi, T. & Kobayashi, H. (2018). Effect of 528 Hz music on the endocrine system and autonomic nervous system. Health, 10(9), 1159–1170.
- Calamassi, D. & Pomponi, G.P. (2019). Music tuned to 440 Hz versus 432 Hz and the health effects: A double-blind cross-over pilot study. Explore, 15(4), 283–290.
- Iaccarino, H.F. et al. (2016). Gamma frequency entrainment attenuates amyloid load and modifies microglia. Nature, 540, 230–235.
- Martorell, A.J. et al. (2019). Multi-sensory gamma stimulation ameliorates Alzheimer's-associated pathology and improves cognition. Cell, 177(2), 256–271.
- Horowitz, L.G. & Puleo, J.S. (1999). Healing Codes for the Biological Apocalypse. Tetrahedron Publishing Group.
- Skoe, E. & Kraus, N. (2010). Auditory brain stem response to complex sounds: A tutorial. Ear and Hearing, 31(3), 302–324.