Queries that relate to overtones or harmonics as used in a musical context.
Questions tagged [harmonics]
149 questions
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WHY do harmonics happen?
The answers to the question 'How do harmonics work?' were most interesting.
OK, that's the HOW it happens. But WHY does it happen ? What is the physics here ? Why doesn't a guitar string vibrate at one frequency only?
Punksta
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Can the harmonic series explain the origin of the major scale?
This Wikipedia article is the source for two overtone series charts...
The numbers above the harmonic indicate the number of cents' difference from equal temperament (rounded to the nearest cent).
Regarding harmonic 11, is it a 'out of tune'…
Michael Curtis
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Sounds of harmonics
When a string is touched at a certain node point, a harmonic is produced. The open string produces a particular note, say one octave below the first harmonic. Why does that open note (which contains other harmonics - strongest usually being the…
Tim
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What does a wave with all even harmonics sound like?
So most synthesizers provide us with four standard wave forms:
A sine wave which has a single fundamental
A sawtooth wave which has a fundamental and a range of odd and even harmonics
A square wave which has a fundamental and a range of odd…
Undistraction
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Do all periodic sound waves have harmonics?
I 've read that all periodic sound waves have a fundamental frequency and I was wondering if all periodic sound waves also have harmonics (integer multiples of a fundamental frequency). If that question rings true then how come its like that and how…
Daniella Zättarlund
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How do ratios work within the harmonic series?
Good day stack family,
So in the harmonic series, we have a fundamental (pitch/note) and a succession of harmonics that stem from the fundamental which also hold other pitches within themselves.
My question is, let's say we have a ratio of 3:2…
Seery
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Harmonics and Amplitude
We know the harmonic series increases, f*1, f*2, f*3 etc... where f = fundamental.
We also know there is a drop in amplitude roughly corresponding to 1/h, where h = harmonic.
So if 440 is our fundamental, 880 is our second harmonic. Does this mean…
ItHertz
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What causes us to hear harmonics?
When playing any note on any instrument, it is said that we also hear this note's harmonic series.
What causes us to hear this? Does our ear "invent" those sounds, or are they actually produced by the instrument due to some physical phenomenon?
Lee White
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Is it true that 1st harmonic's amplitude is, in most cases, greater than half the maximum?
Ladies, Gentlemen, please let me tell you that I have created small program finding 1st harmonic with accuracy 10 times and more better than fft can do. In few words I have create DFT grid with span 10 hz below and above fft pitch, divided in 200…
George Theodosiou
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Why do we scale/shift up an octave in the overtone series?
If I take C (middle C on piano ) as a base from which to construct the overtone series, I quickly find G and E to have simple ratios 3:1 and 5:1 and by shifting octaves I get 3:2 and 5:4. And I was wondering why we shift? whats the reason? 3:2 ratio…
user48580