[Phys-L] Re: sound frequency in helium

[Bernard Cleyet <anngeorg@PACBELL.NET>]

I am reminded of an organ stop called a quint.  (from fifth)  I wired
one up in a Santa Barbara church to make a fake 32 foot bourdon.  What I
did was when pulled the pipe normally speaking does + the one a fifth
above.  The non-linearity of the ear causes the difference to be heard,
i.e. an octave below.  So suppose the He suppresses the lower harmonics
and accentuate the higher ones. the differences will be harmonics of the
fundamental.  If the fundamental is weak, then one might hear the pitch
as doubled.

I have an HP spectrum analyzer or the Vernier sound app. includes a FFT
routine.

bc, probably will be beaten to the post again.


p.s. Eisberg in his general Physics text, points out that poor [base
deficient] speakers sound better than they should, as judged using an
analyzer, because of the "quint" effect above.  [He didn't use that term.]

Chuck Britton wrote:
> This should be an easy experiment with today computers (with sound
> input) and an FFT program.
>
> Same fundamental frequency?
>
> If so, I would expect the same hierarchy of harmonics.
>
> Are we hearing the same spectrum of frequencies with the intensities
> shifted into the higher (but identical) harmonics?
>
> But of course the 'real' answer is that it is a very complex system
> that demands much more study.
>
>
> At 10:48 PM -0700 4/17/05, Marc Kossover wrote:
>
> > --- "Folkerts, Timothy J" <FolkertsT@BARTONCCC.EDU>
> > wrote:
> >
> > > It is only sort of a change in pitch.
> >
> >
> > This is an important point.
> >
> > The vocal sound of a person who has breathed helium
> > isn't just higher; it's weird.
> >
> > A spectrum analyzer will still show the same
> > fundamental, but it will also show a shift to higher
> > harmonics.
_______________________________________________
Phys-L mailing list
Phys-L@electron.physics.buffalo.edu
https://www.physics.buffalo.edu/mailman/listinfo/phys-l