Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communication are described. Methods, systems, and devices provide for different tone spacing schemes for different channels. Methods, systems, and devices also provide for different tone spacing schemes for different stages of communication between a UE and a base station. The base station may indicate, to the UE, the tone spacing scheme in a control channel, a synchronization signal, or a reference signal and the tone spacing scheme may be selected by the base station from available tone spacing schemes for communication. Tone spacing schemes may also be referred to as numerologies.