Listen to 11 examples, from high-pitched ringing to a whoosh that keeps time with your heartbeat. Find the one closest to yours, then match its exact pitch.
By Lilly Seay · Updated October 2026
Tinnitus is hearing a sound that has no outside source, so other people cannot hear it. It is most often described as ringing, but people also hear buzzing, roaring, hissing, humming, whistling, clicking, whooshing, or even music. It can be low, medium, or high pitched, steady or coming and going, in one ear or both. Sources: NIDCD, NHS, RNID.
Also described as: ringing, eeee, tone
A steady, clear tone that sits on top of everything else, like a test tone or a struck glass that never fades. It is often most noticeable in a quiet room or at bedtime.
The most common description. NIDCD says tinnitus is "commonly described as a ringing sound."
Simulated at 4,000 Hz.
This sounds like mine: find my exact frequencyAlso described as: electrical whine, squealing, power-line sound
A thin, very high whine with a slight waver, the kind of sound people compare to electricity in the walls or an old TV. Some people can only just hear it.
Simulated at 10,000 Hz with a gentle waver. Small speakers may not play this well.
This sounds like mine: find my exact frequencyAlso described as: humming, droning, distant engine
A deep, steady hum, a bit like a fridge or an engine idling somewhere far away. Because it is low, it can be hard to tell whether it is inside your head or in the room.
Simulated at 110 Hz. Phone and laptop speakers barely play this pitch; headphones help.
This sounds like mine: find my exact frequencyAlso described as: buzzing, transformer buzz, bee-like
A rough, buzzy tone with an edge to it, closer to a transformer or a fluorescent light than a clean note.
Simulated with a buzzy 180 Hz tone.
This sounds like mine: find my exact frequencyAlso described as: hiss, static, steam, white noise
A broad, airy hiss with no single note, like static between radio stations or steam escaping. It can be hard to pin to one pitch because it covers a band of sound.
Simulated with high-frequency noise.
This sounds like mine: find my exact frequencyAlso described as: cicadas, summer insects, shimmering
A high, shimmering buzz that seems to pulse very fast, like a field of cicadas on a hot evening.
Simulated with a narrow noise band near 5,000 Hz, pulsing quickly.
This sounds like mine: find my exact frequencyAlso described as: crickets, chirping, chirps
Short, high chirps that repeat in a rhythm, like crickets outside a window at night.
Simulated with chirps at 4,500 Hz.
This sounds like mine: find my exact frequencyAlso described as: pulsatile tinnitus, whooshing, throbbing, heartbeat in the ear
A whoosh or thump that keeps time with your pulse. Some people notice it most when lying with one ear on the pillow.
NIDCD describes tinnitus that pulses in time with the heartbeat as rare.
Simulated as low noise whooshing at about 72 beats per minute.
Tinnitus that beats in time with your pulse needs an urgent appointment with your doctor (NHS guidance). Please get it checked rather than matching it here.
Also described as: roaring, rushing, seashell, waterfall
A low, rushing roar that swells a little, like holding a seashell to your ear or standing near a waterfall.
Simulated with low-frequency noise that slowly swells.
This sounds like mine: find my exact frequencyAlso described as: clicking, ticking, fluttering, tapping
Irregular clicks or ticks, sometimes described as a flutter or a tiny tapping inside the ear.
Simulated with short, irregular clicks.
Clicking is about rhythm, not pitch, so the frequency matcher will not help much here. A doctor or audiologist can look into it.
Also described as: musical tinnitus, tunes, faint singing
Fragments of a tune, a melody, or faint singing, as if a radio is playing in another room. RNID notes these are called musical hallucinations.
Simulated with a short repeating melody.
This sounds like mine: find my exact frequencyThese are simulations, not a diagnosis. Tinnitus cannot be recorded, so these sounds are built in your browser from tones and filtered noise to match common descriptions. Yours may sound different.
This page is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider about your hearing health.
The US National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) defines tinnitus as "the perception of sound that does not have an external source, so other people cannot hear it." It is common: NIDCD cites surveys estimating that 10 to 25% of adults have it.
Ringing is the classic description, but NIDCD, the NHS, and RNID also list buzzing, roaring, whistling, humming, clicking, hissing, squealing, whooshing, throbbing, and music. Consumer guidance from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association adds chirping, and notes it can be in one ear or both.
RNID says the sound may be low, medium, or high pitched, and may be there all the time or come and go. NIDCD considers tinnitus chronic once it has lasted three months or longer.
Sources: NIDCD, NHS, RNID, ASHA consumer information. Verified October 2026.
Most tinnitus is not an emergency. These are the exceptions, and none of them should wait for a home tool.
Sources: NIDCD Sudden Deafness, NHS, AAO-HNSF Clinical Practice Guideline: Tinnitus (2014). Verified October 2026.
There is no single cure, but many people find tinnitus bothers them much less over time with the right support.
The US clinical guideline recommends CBT for persistent, bothersome tinnitus. It does not remove the sound; it helps reduce how much the sound affects your life.
The guideline recommends a hearing aid evaluation when bothersome tinnitus comes with documented hearing loss. An audiologist can test your hearing and talk through options.
Sound therapy is listed as an option in the guideline. The NHS suggests not sitting in total silence, since soft music or background sound can help distract from tinnitus, along with relaxation and better sleep habits.
The guideline recommends against ginkgo biloba, melatonin, zinc, and other dietary supplements for treating persistent, bothersome tinnitus.
Sources: AAO-HNSF guideline, NHS, NIDCD. Verified October 2026.
Hearing Buddy does not treat tinnitus. What it does: Buddy captions in-person conversations on your iPhone, live and free, so you can read what you miss. It works with the people in the room, not phone calls or other apps.
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Most often a ringing sound. The NIDCD says tinnitus is commonly described as ringing, and that some people hear roaring, buzzing, whistling, humming, clicking, hissing, or squealing instead. The NHS adds whooshing, throbbing, and music or singing. The pitch can be low, medium, or high, and it can be constant or come and go.
Yes, people often describe it that way. Consumer guidance from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association lists chirping among the sounds people report. Play the crickets and cicadas examples above, then use the frequency matcher to find the closest pitch.
It can be. Tinnitus that pulses in time with your heartbeat is called pulsatile tinnitus. NIDCD describes it as rare, and the NHS says to get an urgent appointment with your doctor if your tinnitus beats in time with your pulse. Please get it checked.
Yes. RNID explains that tinnitus can sound like parts of tunes or songs, and that these are called musical hallucinations. The NHS also lists music or singing as a way tinnitus can sound.
Yes, it can be in one ear or both. Tinnitus in one ear only is worth checking: the US clinical guideline for tinnitus says clinicians should arrange a prompt, comprehensive hearing exam when tinnitus is one-sided, lasts six months or more, or comes with hearing difficulty.
No. Nobody can record tinnitus, because it has no outside source. These are simulations built in your browser from tones and filtered noise, based on how people and health organizations describe it. Your tinnitus may sound different, and these sounds cannot diagnose anything.
Pick the example closest to yours and tap "Find my exact frequency." It opens our free tinnitus frequency matcher already set near that pitch, so you can fine-tune from there. Bring the number to your audiologist if you see one.
The US clinical guideline recommends cognitive behavioral therapy for persistent, bothersome tinnitus, and a hearing aid evaluation if you also have hearing loss. Sound therapy is an option, and the guideline recommends against supplements like ginkgo, melatonin, or zinc. Our tinnitus treatment guide goes deeper.
All sources verified October 2026. Sound descriptions such as cicadas, static, and "electricity" reflect how people commonly describe their tinnitus.