Expanding Your Horizons:

Physics of Music Hints

What does sound “look” like?

Oscilloscope

MicrophoneSpeaker

Tone generator

Oscilloscope controls: play around!

Changes vertical scale

Helps to “freeze” the

wave

Changes horizontal

scale

Tone generator: play around!

Frequency

Changes frequency

Amplitude

Wave shape

What do sounds from these “look” like?

What does sound “look” like: Computer and LoggerPro software

Click “Collect” to capture data

Spectrum: tells what frequencies

present in the sound

Click “Examine” to

determine frequency

Cursor

When do two pitches sound “pleasing” together?

Click with mouse, drag to turn and

change ratio

Find this program on computer desktop.

Listen through

headphones

Frets: Click below to hear the Superman theme. Try playing the first few notes on

the monochord.

Frets: Where is “fa”?

1:13:22:1

s4:3

L

L/s=4/3Find s and tape a nail in the correct place to

act as a fret. Play something.

Can you make an instrument out of a straw?

Flatten, then blow on this

end. Add length as

desired, and add a cone to

the end.

Can you make an instrument out of a straw?

Sound level

appears here in

decibels (dB)