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Re: Harmonics

On Mon, 18 May 1998, Bob Sciamanda wrote:


I guess it comes down to saying that the normal modes of the instrument
are not the normal modes of the isolated string. (A good student
research project, using real instruments and comparing their outputs to
that of an "isolated" string.)



We have a Center for Arts & Technology here and I teach a section
of the intro course for those students. We analyze the Fourier components
of instruments using the ULI and the Vernier software. After the first
year I limited the instruments used to winds (brass, wood, or voice) and
bowed strings. The plucked strings were much too complicated, as
indicated; besides having a decay which made measurement difficult.

We also have several of the Pasco synthesizers. The students were
able to very closely duplicate the sound of the instruments based on the
analysis they did. The limitation is that the Pasco units operate with
only one note: middle A, 440Hz; but can supply up to 10 harmonics.


Mike Monce
Connecticut College