---
title: tone()
categories: [ "Functions" ]
subCategories: [ "Advanced I/O" ]
---





= tone()


// OVERVIEW SECTION STARTS
[#overview]
--

[float]
=== Description
Generates a square wave of the specified frequency (and 50% duty cycle) on a pin. A duration can be specified, otherwise the wave continues until a call to link:../notone[noTone()]. The pin can be connected to a piezo buzzer or other speaker to play tones.

Only one tone can be generated at a time. If a tone is already playing on a different pin, the call to `tone()` will have no effect. If the tone is playing on the same pin, the call will set its frequency.

Use of the `tone()` function will interfere with PWM output on pins 3 and 11 (on boards other than the Mega).

It is not possible to generate tones lower than 31Hz. For technical details, see https://github.com/bhagman/Tone#ugly-details[Brett Hagman's notes].
[%hardbreaks]


[float]
=== Syntax
`tone(pin, frequency)` +
`tone(pin, frequency, duration)`


[float]
=== Parameters
`pin`: the Arduino pin on which to generate the tone. +
`frequency`: the frequency of the tone in hertz. Allowed data types: `unsigned int`. +
`duration`: the duration of the tone in milliseconds (optional). Allowed data types: `unsigned long`.


[float]
=== Returns
Nothing

--
// OVERVIEW SECTION ENDS




// HOW TO USE SECTION STARTS
[#howtouse]
--

[float]
=== Notes and Warnings

* If you want to play different pitches on multiple pins, you need to call `noTone()` on one pin before calling `tone()` on the next pin.
* This function is non-blocking, which means that even if you provide the `duration` parameter the sketch execution will continue immediately even if the tone hasn't finished playing.

[%hardbreaks]

--
// HOW TO USE SECTION ENDS


// SEE ALSO SECTION
[#see_also]
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[float]
=== See also

[role="language"]
* #LANGUAGE# link:../../analog-io/analogwrite[analogWrite()]

[role="example"]

* #EXAMPLE# https://www.arduino.cc/en/Tutorial/BuiltInExamples/toneMelody[Tone Melody^]
* #EXAMPLE# https://www.arduino.cc/en/Tutorial/tonePitchFollower[Pitch Follower^]
* #EXAMPLE# https://www.arduino.cc/en/Tutorial/BuiltInExamples/toneKeyboard[Tone Keyboard^]
* #EXAMPLE# https://www.arduino.cc/en/Tutorial/BuiltInExamples/toneMultiple[Tone Multiple^]
* #EXAMPLE# https://www.arduino.cc/en/Tutorial/PWM[PWM^]

--
// SEE ALSO SECTION ENDS