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Classification and Characteristics of Musical Sound

Sound is a pressure wave created by vibrating objects that transports energy through a medium such as air. There are three main types of sound classified by frequency: infrasound (below 20 Hz), audible sound (between 20 Hz and 20 kHz that humans can hear), and ultrasound (above 20 kHz). Within audible sound, music is pleasant to hear and has regular periodic vibrations, while noise is jarring and irregular. The characteristics of musical sound are pitch (related to frequency), loudness (related to intensity), and timbre (the quality allowing distinction between different instruments).

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NIKHIL SOLOMON P URK19CS1045
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2K views8 pages

Classification and Characteristics of Musical Sound

Sound is a pressure wave created by vibrating objects that transports energy through a medium such as air. There are three main types of sound classified by frequency: infrasound (below 20 Hz), audible sound (between 20 Hz and 20 kHz that humans can hear), and ultrasound (above 20 kHz). Within audible sound, music is pleasant to hear and has regular periodic vibrations, while noise is jarring and irregular. The characteristics of musical sound are pitch (related to frequency), loudness (related to intensity), and timbre (the quality allowing distinction between different instruments).

Uploaded by

NIKHIL SOLOMON P URK19CS1045
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Acoustics

What is Sound?
Sound is a pressure wave which is created by a vibrating object.
This vibrations set particles in the surrounding medium (typical air) in
vibrational motion, thus transporting energy through the medium.
Since the particles are moving in parallel direction to the wave
movement, the sound wave is referred to as a longitudinal wave.
The result of longitudinal waves is the creation of compressions and
rarefactions within the air.
Classification of sound
The frequency f of a wave is measured as the number of complete
back-and-forth vibrations of a particle of the medium per unit of time. 1
Hertz = 1 vibration/second f = 1/Time.
Based on frequency sound can be classified into three different types.

• f<20Hz • 20Hz<f<20kHz • f>20kHz

Audible
Infrasound Ultrasound
Sound
CLASSIFICATION OF AUDIBLE SOUND
Musical Noise
• The Sound Which Produces • The sound That Produces a jarring
Pleasing Effect On The ear is Called effect on the ear and unpleasant to
Musical Sound. hear is called noise.
• Sounds Of Sitar, Violin, Flute.  • Sound Of Road Traffic, Crackers,
• Regular in Shape. Aero plane.
• Have definite Periodicity.  • Irregular in Shape.
• They do not undergo a sudden • Do not have Definite Periodicity.
change in amplitude. • They Undergo a Sudden Change In
Amplitude.
Characteristics of musical sound
Pitch Related to frequency of sound

Loudness Related to intensity of sound

Timbre Related to quality of sound


PITCH
• We can describe pitch by frequency.
• Rapid vibrations of the sound source (high frequency) produce sound of a
high pitch.
• Slow vibrations (low frequency) produce a low pitch.
• Different musical notes are obtained by changing the frequency of the
vibrating sound source.
• This is usually done by altering the size, the tightness, or the mass of the
vibrating object.
• High-pitched sounds used in music are most often less than 4000 Hz, but
the average human ear can hear sounds with frequencies up to 18,000 Hz.
Loudness
•  Loudness is Characteristics which is Common to all sound.
• Loudness is a psychological quantity.
• Intensity is a physical quantity that can be measured.
W/m2
[sound energy (Q) falling per unit area (A) per unit time (t)].
• Loudness & Intensity are related to each other by Weber-Fechner law

where K is a constant
TIMBRE
Quality of sound which enables us to distinguish between two sounds
having the same loudness & pitch.
Depends on the presence of overtones.
It helps us to distinguish musical notes emitted by different musical
instruments & voices of different person even though the sound have
same pitch & loudness.

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