Where Math meets Music
Ever wonder why some note combinations sound pleasing to our ears, while others make us cringe? To understand the answer to this question, you’ll first need to understand the wave patterns created by a musical instrument. When you pluck a string on a guitar, it vibrates back and forth. This causes mechanical energy to travel through the air, in waves. The number of times per second these waves hit our ear is called the ‘frequency’. This is measured in Hertz (abbreviated Hz). The more waves per second the higher the pitch. For instance, the A note below middle C is at 220 Hz. Middle C is at about 262 Hz.
Now, to understand why some note combinations sound better, let’s first look at the wave patterns of 2 notes that sound good together. Let’s use middle C and the G just above it as an example:
Now let’s look at two notes that sound terrible together, C and F#:
Do you notice the difference between these two? Why is the first ‘consonant’ and the second ‘dissonant’? Notice how in the first graphic there is a repeating pattern: every 3rd wave of the G matches up with every 2nd wave of the C (and in the second graphic how there is no pattern). This is the secret for creating pleasing sounding note combinations: Frequencies that match up at regular intervals Read the rest of this entry »
