---
name: "beep"
section: "1"
platform: "freebsd"
package: "base"
version: "16.0-CURRENT-20261027-61c70dc16a79"
release: "FreeBSD 16.0-CURRENT (2026-10-27)"
platforms: ["linux", "freebsd"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/beep"
---

# beep(1)

play a beep sound

## NAME

**beep** – play a beep sound

## SYNOPSIS

**beep** \[**-Bh**\] \[**-D** *duration\_ms*\] \[**-F** *frequency\_hz*\] \[**-d** *oss\_device*\] \[**-g** *gain*\] \[**-r** *sample\_rate\_hz*\]

## DESCRIPTION

The **beep** utility is used to play a beep on the sound card.

The options are as follows:

- **-B**

  Runs the **beep** utility in the background.

- **-D** *duration\_ms*

  Sets the duration of the beep in milliseconds, between 50 ms and 2000 ms inclusively. The default is 150 ms.

- **-F** *frequency\_hz*

  Sets the center frequency of the beep in Hz. The default is 440 Hz.

- **-d** *oss\_device*

  Sets the OSS device to use. The default is */dev/dsp*.

- **-g** *gain*

  Sets the waveform gain, between 0 and 100 inclusively. The default is 75.

- **-h**

  Display summary of options.

- **-r** *sample\_rate\_hz*

  Sets the sound card sample rate in Hz, between 8000 Hz and 48000 Hz inclusively. The default is 48000 Hz.

## EXAMPLES

Play default beep sound on */dev/dsp*:

- $ beep

  ## SEE ALSO

[mixer(3)](/mixer/3.md), [sound(4)](/sound/4.md)

## HISTORY

The **beep** utility first appeared in FreeBSD 14.0.

## AUTHORS

Hans Petter Selasky ⟨*hselasky@FreeBSD.org*⟩