This work dealt with dynamic characteristics of spur gear and helical gear system to understand the gear vibration and noise. To find out dynamic characteristics in the gear system, a finite element model and an analytic model for the gear system were used. Using the models, the natural frequency and mode-shape characteristics of spur gears and helical gears were calculated. Two models show that natural frequencies of helical gears were lower than those of spur gears. Mode-shape characteristics of gear pairs by analytical model and some issues of finite element modeling were also discussed. Impact test was used to validate the finite element model.