This document discusses the physics of music through three main points: 1. Music is created by organized sound waves produced by vibrating strings, air columns, or membranes. The pitch is determined by frequency and timbre comes from the combination of distinct frequencies. 2. Different instruments produce sound in different ways - strings vibrate, brass and woodwind instruments use vibrating air columns, and percussion uses vibrating membranes. The length or size of the vibrating part determines the pitch. 3. When notes are combined, their sound waves interact to create a unique combined wave. Different interval combinations, such as odd vs even intervals, produce different effects.

1. The Physics of Music
"Music is a
hidden practice of
the soul, which
does not know
that it is doing
mathematics."
- Leibniz
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2. Properties of Sound - review
• Using precise terms, what is sound ? 1. A sound is a longitudinal vibration
traveling through a medium which
is heard when it reaches the ear.
• Name the part that produces sound.
2. Vocal cords (in the larynx)
• Explain the relationship of amplitude and
frequency to sound waves.
• What type of sounds are absorbed more
12. higher frequencies are absorbed;
easily and often? low frequencies pass through
• Which decibel levels cause hearing loss? 13. 120 dB and up (also longer
exposure and higher frequencies)
• Name the parts of the ear and how they 14. Tympanic membrane, ossicles,
work. Powerpoint Templates cochlea, semi-circular canals

3. Properties of Sound - review
1. Name an animal that can hear infrasonic • Elephant
waves.
2. How does a medium affect the speed of • Sound travels fast through denser
sound? and warmer mediums.
3. You see a lightning strike and count just • Every 5 seconds = 1 mile, so the
2 ½ seconds before hearing thunder. storm is a ½ mile away.
Calculate the distance of the storm. • Images are created by a machine
that interprets high frequency
5. Explain how ultrasound works. (ultrasonic) waves that are
reflected as they travel through the
boundaries between tissues
7. Why does the pitch of a siren or horn • The Doppler affect occurs when
seem to go up as it approaches you and sound waves get bunched up as
then go down as it speeds away? the source of the sound moves.
• As an object moves beyond the
speed of sound, the bunched up
9. How is a sonic boom created?
sound waves combine to form a
very loud sound.
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4. Introduction
• Flash Interactive
• Physics of sound (music) video
• Mongolian Throat Singers
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5. Music
• Music is made of organized sound waves.
Pure tones: regular wave of a single frequency.
Noise: no
characteristic
frequency.
Musical sound: wave with its lowest natural
frequency (pitch) and harmonic
characteristics of the tone.
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6. Harmonics & Resonance
Guitar
Video
"beats"
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7. Harmonics & Fractions
• Overtones
• Harmonic Pitches
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8. Musical
Scale
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9. Sound Quality
• Pitch describes how low or
high a note sounds
– determined by the sound wave's
frequency
– instruments each have a varying
range of pitches they can create
• Timbre is the word used to
describe the quality of an
instrument's musical sounds.
– Timbre is what makes a
particular musical note sound
different from another, even
when they have the same pitch
and loudness.
– Distinct frequencies combine to
create the timbre of a note.
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10. String Instruments
• Examples:
– Banjo, violin, piano, dulcimer,
steel guitar, guitar, piano, violin
• How sound is produced:
– Vibrating strings produce
musical tones.
• Strings can be plucked, bowed,
strummed or hammered.
• Length of the string determines
pitch. Japanese Gaohu
Harp
– Resonator provides a hollow
chamber to amplify the sound.
• reflected waves Hammered
combine to Dulcimer
produce bigger
amplitudes
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11. Brass and Woodwinds
• Examples:
– Euphonium, French horn, piccolo, saxophone, oboe
• How sound is produced:
– A vibrating column of air produces musical tones.
• Lips, thin wooden reed, or a circulating stream of air
create vibrations at the mouthpiece.
• Length of the resonating air column determines pitch.
– Valves or keys change the length of the air column.
– Flared end of tube increases amplitude (volume)
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12. Percussion Instruments
• Examples:
– Timpani, cymbals, washboard,
maracas, xylophone, chimes
• Drum sound production:
– A tightly-stretched membrane
produces sound vibrations.
• Instruments are struck (with
hand, hammer, mallet, etc.),
shaken, brushed, rubbed or
scraped.
• The size and tightness of the
drum head determine pitch.
– A resonating air chamber
amplifies the sound
• deeper column, louder sound
• smaller chambers are quieter
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13. Note Interactions
• Same note, one
octave apart
– i.e. middle C and
the C one octave
above on the
keyboard
• Combined tones
produce a unique
wave when
combined
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14. Note Interactions
Odd intervals Even intervals
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