A sound wave vibrates at a certain frequency or pitch, measured in Hertz.I can give you a six-word formula for success: Think things through - then follow through. - Edward Vermon (Eddie) Rickenbacker
spc Bd 1 Bd 3
 
Share This Page

Pitch and Frequency

Sound Wave Frequency

A sound wave is introduced into a medium by a vibrating object. Regardless of what the vibrating object is, it is moving back and forth at a given frequency, or pitch. Frequency is measured in Hertz, or number of cycles per second.

Hertz (Hz) = The number of cycles per second or number of times the object moved back and forth in one second.

If you hit the note of middle C on the piano, you will hear a sound vibrating at about 264 cycles per second, or 264 Hz. All of the particles in the medium will then be vibrating at a frequency of 264 Hz. If you looked at the transverse pressure waveform crated by a microphone, you would see it oscillating at the same 264 Hz.

The frequency, measured in Hertz of a sound, is also known as the pitch by musicians. A higher frequency corresponds with a higher, sharper pitch and a lower frequency corresponds with a flat or lower pitch.

Some musically trained people are able to detect frequencies as little as 2 Hz. In the field of sound therapy, we have found that changes of as little as 0.001 Hz or less can have a difference.

Period

If you look carefully at the pressure plot created by the microphone, you will notice that each individual cycle is displayed in time. Another way you could look at frequency is to look at the time between each cycle. The time between adjacent cycles is known as the period. Mathematically, the frequency and period are related as shown in the following equations:

Period = 1 / Frequency

Frequency = 1 / Period

In the example above, the frequency of 264 Hz of middle C, or time time between adjacent cycles, is 3.79 milliseconds, or 0.00379 seconds.

Musicians know that making two or more sounds together can have particularly pleasing sensations.

 


Sound


Longitudinal Wavelength Sound Waves Pitch and Frequency Speed of Sound Doppler Effect Sound Intensity and Decibels Sound Wave Interference Beat Frequencies Binaural Beat Frequencies Sound Resonance and Natural Resonant Frequency Natural Resonance Quality (Q) Forced Vibration Frequency Entrainment Vibrational Modes Standing Waves Law of Octaves Psychoacoustics Tacoma Narrows Bridge Schumann Resonance Animal BioAcoustics More on Sound

Music


Law Of Octaves Sound Harmonics Western Musical Chords Musical Scales Musical Intervals Musical Mathematical Terminology Music of the Spheres Fibonacci Sequence Circle of Fifths Pythagorean Comma

Drums

Drum Vibrational Modes

Biographies


Aristotle Copernicus Einstein Fibonacci Hermann von Helmholtz Kepler Sir Isaac Newton Max Planck Ptolemy Pythagoras Thomas Young
Share Site With A Friend Comments/Suggestions See Related Links Link To Us Find The Site Map Contact Us Report A Broken Link To Us

Are you concerned about fitness and nutrition? You'll want a nutrition plan for good nutrition.






Find the integers to solve this math puzzle.






See us for a free weight loss plan. We have a fast weight loss diet for rapid weight loss.
B7
 
Sound-Physics.com

Site Map | Terms of Use | Privacy & Security | Contact Us | Purchase Agreement | Send Feedback
Understanding the Physics of Sound
© 1996-2005 by Sound-Physics.com All Rights Reserved.