Synthesis 101: The Shape of Sound | Part 2
The Frequency Spectrum & Harmonics
This part of the course explains the physical properties of sound and how musical theory applies to it. By the end of this section you will discover how the audible spectrum is grouped into octaves and how they relate with each other. You’ll also learn about musical notes and how to create beautiful harmonic tones through certain combinations.
| In this tutorial |
|---|
| 1. The four waveforms |
| 2. The frequency spectrum & harmonics |
| 3. Attack, decay, sustain, release |
| 4. Phase & modulation |
| 5. Filtering & resonance |
| 6. Stereo, width, depth & height |
Part 2.1
Frequency, Octaves & Notes
Music is a form of art. It is expressed as sound rather than light, but just as painters are limited by the visible chromatic spectrum, musicians are limited by the audible frequency spectrum. Just as a painting can be made beautiful by the application of complementary colours, music can be made beautiful by blending harmonically beautiful sounds. So, let’s start with the audible frequency spectrum…
Audible Sound
Humans can detect rapid fluctuations in atmospheric pressure (a.k.a. sound waves). Most of us are able to hear fluctuations from 20 to 16,000 times per second. This is the audible frequency spectrum (20Hz-16KHz).
Octaves
In music, the audible spectrum is divided into octaves. Each one is double the frequency of the one before.
Notes
In western music, octaves are made up of 12 notes, which are specific points along the frequency spectrum of the octave. The difference in frequency between each note is called a semitone.