Harmonic: Difference between revisions

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'''~~Harmonics~~''' are the basic building blocks of periodic sounds. They may also be referred to as partials or overtones, but these words can have different meanings in the same context. ''Harmonic'' usually refers to the sine wave components which make up a ~~sound, which are~~ whole-number ~~multiples~~ of the fundamental frequency ~~(lowest tone)~~. ~~''Overtones'' consist~~ of ~~all harmonics except for~~ the ~~fundamental; thus the 1st overtone is actually the 2nd~~ harmonic~~, and so on. Unlike harmonics, ''Partials'' do not need to be related by whole-number multiples, but may instead be completely inharmonic~~.

A '''harmonic''' is a whole-number multiple of the fundamental frequency of a sound. It is an element of the [[harmonic series]].

~~Harmonic oscillators~~ such as a bowed violin or the human voice contains a nearly-infinite amount of ~~harmonics~~, starting with 1f, 2f, 3f, 4f... where f is the fundamental frequency. Each of these harmonics has a distinct amplitude, generally decreasing as the 'height' of the harmonic increases. The span between any two of these harmonics is ~~called~~ a [[just interval]].

The timbre of a periodic sound, such as a bowed violin or the human voice, contains a nearly infinite amount of harmonic [[partial]]s, starting with 1''f'', 2''f'', 3''f'', 4''f''... where ''f'' is the fundamental frequency. Each of these harmonics has a distinct amplitude, generally decreasing as the 'height' of the harmonic increases. The span between any two of these harmonics is a [[just interval]]. If the harmonics are numbered such that the fundamental is number 1, the octave is 2, etc., then the interval's ratio is given by the two numbers. For example the interval between the 3rd and 4th harmonics is 4/3.

The ancient Greeks called these harmonics "multiples," and considered them to be a unique interval class separate from [[superparticular]] and [[superpartient]] intervals.

The ancient Greeks called these harmonics "multiples", and considered them to be a unique interval class separate from [[superparticular]] and [[superpartient]] intervals.

A '''subharmonic''' is a unit fraction of the fundamental frequency of a sound. It is an element of the [[subharmonic series]].

== Individual pages ==

See [[:Category: Harmonics]].

== See also ==

* [[Overtone series]]

* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harmonic http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harmonic]

* [[Mixed timbre]]

[[Category:Harmonic]]

[[Category:Harmonic| ]]

~~[[Category:Overtone]]~~

~~[[Category:Partial]]~~

[[Category:Psychoacoustics]]

[[Category:~~Theory~~]]

[[Category:Terms]]

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-'''Harmonics''' are the basic building blocks of periodic sounds. They may also be referred to as partials or overtones, but these words can have different meanings in the same context. ''Harmonic'' usually refers to the sine wave components which make up a sound, which are whole-number multiples of the fundamental frequency (lowest tone). ''Overtones'' consist of all harmonics except for the fundamental; thus the 1st overtone is actually the 2nd harmonic, and so on. Unlike harmonics, ''Partials'' do not need to be related by whole-number multiples, but may instead be completely inharmonic.
+{{Wikipedia|Harmonic}}
+A '''harmonic''' is a whole-number multiple of the fundamental frequency of a sound. It is an element of the [[harmonic series]].
-Harmonic oscillators such as a bowed violin or the human voice contains a nearly-infinite amount of harmonics, starting with 1f, 2f, 3f, 4f... where f is the fundamental frequency. Each of these harmonics has a distinct amplitude, generally decreasing as the 'height' of the harmonic increases. The span between any two of these harmonics is called a [[just interval]].
+The timbre of a periodic sound, such as a bowed violin or the human voice, contains a nearly infinite amount of harmonic [[partial]]s, starting with 1''f'', 2''f'', 3''f'', 4''f''... where ''f'' is the fundamental frequency. Each of these harmonics has a distinct amplitude, generally decreasing as the 'height' of the harmonic increases. The span between any two of these harmonics is a [[just interval]]. If the harmonics are numbered such that the fundamental is number 1, the octave is 2, etc., then the interval's ratio is given by the two numbers. For example the interval between the 3rd and 4th harmonics is 4/3.
-The ancient Greeks called these harmonics "multiples," and considered them to be a unique interval class separate from [[superparticular]] and [[superpartient]] intervals.
+The ancient Greeks called these harmonics "multiples", and considered them to be a unique interval class separate from [[superparticular]] and [[superpartient]] intervals.
+A '''subharmonic''' is a unit fraction of the fundamental frequency of a sound. It is an element of the [[subharmonic series]].
+== Individual pages ==
+See [[:Category: Harmonics]].
 == See also ==
-* [[Overtone series]]
-* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harmonic http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harmonic]
 * [[Mixed timbre]]
-[[Category:Harmonic]]
+[[Category:Harmonic| ]] <!-- main article -->
-[[Category:Overtone]]
-[[Category:Partial]]
 [[Category:Psychoacoustics]]
-[[Category:Theory]]
+[[Category:Terms]]