Vibrato Rate Calculator
Vibrato is a periodic variation in pitch, described by a rate in hertz and a depth in cents. This calculator converts the rate into the period of one cycle and the depth into the actual upper and lower frequencies around a base pitch, plus the peak-to-peak frequency swing. The rate to period relationship and the cent to frequency relationship are exact, so you can match an LFO setting, analyse a recorded vibrato, or design a modulation precisely for any centre pitch you enter.
Vibrato formula
cycle period (ms) = 1000 / rate
upper frequency = base * 2^(depth / 1200)
lower frequency = base * 2^(-depth / 1200)
peak-to-peak swing = upper frequency - lower frequency
Rate in hertz inverts to the cycle period. Depth in cents converts to a frequency ratio with the cent formula: each 1,200 cents is a doubling, so a peak depth shifts the base pitch up and down by that ratio.
Vibrato facts
- Rate and period are reciprocals: a faster vibrato has a shorter cycle.
- Depth in cents is symmetric in ratio, so the upper shift in hertz is slightly larger than the lower.
- 100 cents of depth equals one equal-tempered semitone of peak swing.
- The same cent depth produces a larger hertz swing at higher base frequencies.
- Vibrato modulates pitch; tremolo, by contrast, modulates amplitude.
Vibrato rate: frequently asked questions
What is vibrato rate?
Vibrato rate is how many pitch oscillations occur per second, measured in hertz. A 6 Hz vibrato completes six full up-and-down pitch cycles each second. One cycle therefore lasts 1 divided by the rate, in seconds.
How is vibrato depth measured?
Vibrato depth is the pitch swing away from the centre pitch, measured in cents (hundredths of a semitone). The calculator applies the depth above and below the base frequency using the cent formula frequency times 2 to the power of cents over 1,200.
What is a typical vibrato rate?
This calculator does not assume a single typical value because vibrato rate varies by instrument, style and performer. Enter the rate you want to analyse. The rate to period and depth to frequency conversions are exact mathematical relationships.
How do I set an LFO to a musical vibrato rate?
Decide the rate in hertz, then set the LFO frequency to that value. The period output tells you the cycle length in milliseconds if your device uses time rather than frequency. Depth in cents maps to the LFO amount applied to pitch.
Why convert depth to frequency rather than cents?
Cents describe the perceived interval, but synthesis and analysis often need the actual upper and lower frequencies. Seeing both the high and low frequency and the peak-to-peak hertz swing makes the modulation concrete for a given base pitch.
Official sources
- National Institute of Standards and Technology: SI units and frequency.
- Acoustical Society of America: musical acoustics references.
Reviewed by the CalculatorHub team, edited by James Graham, 16 June 2026. See our methodology.