The Four
$89.00
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The Four
$89.00
- Feel two, hear twoThe two weighted forks hum in your hand. The two bare ones ring near your ear.
- Your first week, plannedA card in the box links to The Ritual Guide: one small step a day.
- No app, no subscriptionStrike a fork and it rings, live in the room. Nothing to switch on.
- The same four forksThe Gift Set has them too. Here they come in a cloth bag.
- US shipping includedOn every set, with tracking.
Choose your set
Included with your set
-
The Ritual Guide, as a PDF -
Wooden mallet
Adds $89.00 to your cart
Giving it as a gift? Put their address in at checkout and we'll ship it straight to them.
What's in the box
- 128 Hz fork (a low C), weighted
- 136.1 Hz fork (close to C sharp), weighted
- 256 Hz fork (C), unweighted
- 384 Hz fork (G), unweighted
- Wooden mallet
- Cloth bag
- Small key for the weights
- Card with the link to The Ritual Guide
- Purple sleeve
A card in the box links to The Ritual Guide as a PDF.
What a tuning fork is, and how to use it
A tuning fork is a small metal instrument that plays one note. Tap it with the mallet and it rings with that note until the sound fades.
Each fork is named by its pitch in hertz (Hz). The higher the number, the higher the note.
Two forks in your set carry round weights near the tips. Hold one by the stem and you feel a low hum in your hand, more than you hear it. The other two are bare: you hold them near your ear and listen.
To play one, strike, hold and listen. Tap one prong with the mallet, holding the fork away from your face. Keep your fingers on the stem, because a touch on a prong stops the sound. Then bring it about two inches from your ear, close but not touching, and listen until the ring fades.
Your four notes run from a low C up to a G: 128 Hz (a low C), 136.1 Hz (close to C sharp), 256 Hz (C) and 384 Hz (G). Start with the 256. The Ritual Guide that comes with your set adds one small step a day for a week.
Watch how it's done
Strike
Hold the fork away from your face. Tap one prong with the mallet, or tap it on the puck if your set has one.
Hold
Hold the fork by its stem. A finger on a prong stops the sound.
Listen
Bring an unweighted fork about two inches from your ear, close but not touching, and listen until the ring fades. Hold a weighted fork by the stem and feel it hum in your hand.
The guide that comes with this set takes you through your first week, one small step a day, then gives you seven rituals to choose from.
Safety and care
Strike the forks only with the mallet or on the puck. A table, stone or metal edge can chip a fork and change its pitch. Strike away from your face. To listen, hold the fork about two inches from your ear, without touching it, and keep the prongs away from your eyes. Leave the weights where they are: their position sets the pitch. Keep the forks in their bag or case. This is not a toy: keep the key and the small parts away from young children.
Meet the four notes
Each fork plays one note, named by its pitch in hertz (Hz). The higher the number, the higher the note. Two are weighted, to feel in your hand, and two are bare, to hear near your ear.
-
128 Hz · a low C
Weighted · to feel
The deepest fork in the set. Hold the stem and feel a low hum in your hand. It's the same note as the 256, an octave lower.
-
136.1 Hz · close to C sharp
Weighted · to feel
A second low hum, about one piano key above the 128. Play the two one after the other to hear the step.
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256 Hz · C
Unweighted · to hear
A clear ring, a shade below middle C on a piano. Day one of The Ritual Guide starts with this fork.
-
384 Hz · G
Unweighted · to hear
The highest fork in the set. Strike it after the 256 and you hear a perfect fifth, the jump from C to G.
Listen for two pairs: the 128 and the 256 are the same note an octave apart, and the 256 and the 384 make a perfect fifth.
We list our forks in scientific pitch, where C is 256 Hz. A piano tuned the usual way puts middle C a little higher. So a tuner app reads our C forks as a little low. That's expected.
Why a tuning fork
A first ritual takes about two minutes: strike a fork, hear one clear note, and listen until it fades.
A sound you make
You strike it, so the note starts when you choose and rings live in the room.
Nothing to switch on
The fork, the mallet and a few minutes are all it takes.
Three moves to learn
Strike, hold and listen. The guide that comes with your set takes you through the first week.
A gift that comes with the how
Whoever opens it gets the forks, the mallet and the guide, so they know where to start.
The same four forks in each of these sets
Each one also has a wooden mallet, so you're ready to play.
| The Four | The Gift Set | One to keep, one to give | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sets | One | One | Two Gift Sets |
| Forks | Four | Four | Eight |
| Wooden mallet | Included | Included | Two |
| Bag or case | Cloth bag | Roll-up case | Two roll-up cases |
| Striking puck | Not included | Included | Two |
| Gift box | Not included | Included | Two |
| The Ritual Guide | A card that links to the PDF | Printed, plus the PDF | Two printed copies, plus the PDF |
| Price | $89.00 | $129.00 | $229.00 |
A gift they'll know how to use.
The Gift Set arrives in a purple gift box with a note card for your message. Inside: four forks in a roll-up case, a mallet, a puck to strike them on and the printed guide to the first week.
Questions
Which fork should I start with?
Start with the 256, the C. Strike it with the mallet, hold it by the stem and listen until the ring fades. That's day one in The Ritual Guide, and it adds a small step each day for a week.
Are the forks the same in The Four and The Gift Set?
Yes. Both have the same four forks, two weighted and two bare, from a low C up to a G. They differ in what comes with them: a cloth bag or a roll-up case, the puck, the gift box, and whether the guide comes printed.
What's the difference between weighted and unweighted forks?
Weighted forks have round weights near the tips of the prongs. Hold one by the stem and you feel it hum in your hand. Unweighted forks are bare. Hold one close to your ear, without touching it, and you hear a clear ring.
Do I need the puck?
No. Every set has a wooden mallet, and that's all you need to strike a fork. The puck gives you a firm surface to tap a fork on, which helps when you hold a fork in each hand. It comes in The Gift Set, and you can add one to The Four in your cart.
I'm giving it to someone who has never used a tuning fork. Will they know what to do?
Yes. The card in the box shows the three moves, and The Ritual Guide takes them through the first week, one small step a day. In The Gift Set the guide is printed and in the box.
Can I send it straight to the person I'm giving it to?
Yes. Put their address in at checkout and we'll ship it straight to them.
How long does a ritual take?
As long as the ring lasts, then strike again. A few minutes a day is plenty to start.
Why does my tuner app say the 256 is a little low?
Our forks follow scientific pitch, where C is 256 Hz. Most pianos and tuner apps use concert pitch, where middle C is about 261.6 Hz. So a tuner reads our 256 as a little low. The gap is a bit more than a third of the step between two piano keys. That's expected, and the same goes for our 128.
How do I look after the forks?
Strike them only on the puck or with the mallet: a table, a stone or a metal edge can chip a fork and change its pitch. Keep them in their bag or case so they don't knock together, and leave the weights where they are, because their position sets the pitch.
Where are the forks made?
In China. We say so before you order, so it isn't a surprise.
Do I need an app or a subscription?
No. The guide comes with every set, and we don't sell subscriptions.
What this set is, and isn't
What it is: a sound instrument, for listening, for music and for a few quiet minutes in your day. Each set has tuning forks and a mallet to strike them with, and The Ritual Guide comes with it.
What it is not: a medical device. It is not for hearing tests or any other medical use, and it is not a replacement for care from a doctor. We make no claims about what the sound or the hum of a fork does to the body or to health. If you have a question about your health, please ask your doctor.