Rest in a single tone.
Choose one of the nine Solfeggio tones and press Begin. A soft tone rises and settles like a slow breath; let your attention rest in it until the bell.
Keep the volume low and comfortable. Headphones are fine but not needed.
Add a background sound
How to meditate with a tone
- Sit comfortably, set the volume low, and close your eyes once the tone begins.
- Let your attention rest in the sound: its pitch, its slow rise and fall, the way it fills the room.
- When you notice you have drifted into thought, come back to the tone. No need to scold yourself.
- Near the end, listen for the moment the sound fades into silence, and rest in the silence a little longer.
Meditating on sound is an old practice. Indian traditions call it nada, and several of the 112 Meditations use it: following a sound as it fades, or intoning a sound and resting in what remains.
Where these numbers come from
The nine Solfeggio frequencies are a modern set of tones, put together from the 1970s onward and made popular in the 1990s by the books of Joseph Puleo and Leonard Horowitz. They are named after the old singing syllables ut, re, mi, fa, sol and la, and each has grown a popular meaning: 396 Hz for letting go of fear, 528 Hz as the "love frequency", 963 Hz for a sense of oneness, and so on.
What we know, honestly
No good research shows that a particular frequency heals the body, repairs DNA or changes the mind on its own. We offer these tones because they are pleasant and steady to listen to, and that is exactly what makes a good focus for meditation. Treat the popular meanings as an intention for your sitting, not a promise. This is a relaxation aid, not medical treatment.
The nine tones
174 Hz
Often called the foundation tone, and said to ease pain and give a sense of safety.
285 Hz
Said to help the body restore and renew itself.
396 Hz · Ut
Said to help release guilt and fear.
417 Hz · Re
Said to clear away the past and make way for change.
528 Hz · Mi
Nicknamed the love frequency, and said to bring transformation, even to repair DNA.
639 Hz · Fa
Said to strengthen connection and harmony in relationships.
741 Hz · Sol
Said to cleanse, and to help with clear expression and finding solutions.
852 Hz · La
Said to awaken intuition and return the mind to spiritual order.
963 Hz · Si
Called the frequency of the gods, and said to bring a sense of oneness and to activate the pineal gland.
Common questions
Do Solfeggio frequencies really heal?
There is no good scientific evidence that any particular frequency heals the body, repairs DNA or releases emotions. A handful of small studies, mostly on 528 Hz, are too limited to show much. What is well supported is simpler: sitting quietly with a steady, pleasant sound can calm the mind, and any gentle tone can do that.
Are these the ancient tones of Gregorian chant?
Not really. The Solfeggio frequencies were put together in the late twentieth century. Medieval singers used the syllables ut, re, mi, fa, sol and la to learn melodies, but there was no fixed pitch standard then, so they could not have sung exact frequencies such as 396 Hz.
Which tone should I choose?
Whichever one sounds pleasant to you today. Lower tones such as 174 and 285 Hz feel deep and settling; higher ones such as 852 and 963 Hz feel bright and airy. If a tone starts to tire your ears, switch to a lower one or turn on the low hum.