SOUND & HEARING TUTORIALS
INTRODUCTION TO TRANSMISSION OF SOUND
PHASE TUTORIAL
Whenever two waveforms (having the same frequency, shape and peak amplitude) are completely in-phase (meaning that they have no relative time difference) are added, the resulting waveform will have the same frequency and shape... but will double in amplitude. If the same two waves are combined completely out-of-phase (having a phase difference of 180º), they will cancel each other out when combined.
Google Drive Downloads - Download the two files and follow the instructions below.
You must be signed-in to your FCPS Google Account.
HARMONICS TUTORIAL
The presence of frequencies that are higher than a note’s fundamental frequency, help us to differentiate between various instrument types or instrument “voicings”. These partials or overtone frequencies (which are whole-number multiples of the fundamental frequency) are called harmonics.
Google Drive Downloads - Download all five files and follow the instructions below.
You must be signed-in to your FCPS Google Account.
BEATS TUTORIAL
Two tones that differ only slightly in frequency and have approximately the same amplitude will produce an audible effect known as beats, which are equal in frequency to the difference between the two tones.
Google Drive Downloads - Download the three (3) files and follow the instructions below.
You must be signed-in to your FCPS Google Account.
MASKING TUTORIAL
Masking is the phenomenon by which loud signals can prevent the ear from hearing softer sounds. The greatest masking effect occurs when the frequency of the sound and the frequency of the masking noise are close to each other.
Google Drive Downloads - Download the three (3) files and follow the instructions below.
You must be signed-in to your FCPS Google Account.
INTRODUCTION TO TRANSMISSION OF SOUND
PHASE TUTORIAL
Whenever two waveforms (having the same frequency, shape and peak amplitude) are completely in-phase (meaning that they have no relative time difference) are added, the resulting waveform will have the same frequency and shape... but will double in amplitude. If the same two waves are combined completely out-of-phase (having a phase difference of 180º), they will cancel each other out when combined.
Google Drive Downloads - Download the two files and follow the instructions below.
You must be signed-in to your FCPS Google Account.
- Open a new Mixcraft project with three (3) audio tracks.
- Load the 0° file onto track 1 making sure to place the file at the beginning of the track, with the signal panned center.
- Load the same 0° file again into track 2.
- Load the 180° file into track 3.
- Again, make sure all tracks are aligned to the beginning of the timeline
- Play tracks 1 and 2 (by muting track 3) and listen to the results. The result should be a summed signal that is 3 dB louder.
- Play tracks 1 and 3 (by muting track 2) and listen to the results. It should cancel, producing no output.
HARMONICS TUTORIAL
The presence of frequencies that are higher than a note’s fundamental frequency, help us to differentiate between various instrument types or instrument “voicings”. These partials or overtone frequencies (which are whole-number multiples of the fundamental frequency) are called harmonics.
Google Drive Downloads - Download all five files and follow the instructions below.
You must be signed-in to your FCPS Google Account.
- Open a new Mixcraft project with five (5) audio tracks.
- Load the first-harmonic A440Hz file onto track 1 making sure to place the file at the beginning of the track, with the signal panned center.
- Load the second (880Hz), third (1320Hz), fourth (1760Hz) and fifth (2200Hz) harmonic files into the next set of consecutive tracks.
- Again, make sure all tracks are aligned to the beginning of the timeline
- Solo the first-harmonic track, then solo the first and second-harmonic tracks. Do they sound related in nature?
- Solo the first-harmonic track, then solo the first and third-harmonic tracks. Do they sound more dissonant?
- Solo the first, second and third-harmonic tracks. Do they sound related?
- Solo the first, third and fifth-harmonic tracks. Do they sound more dissonant?
BEATS TUTORIAL
Two tones that differ only slightly in frequency and have approximately the same amplitude will produce an audible effect known as beats, which are equal in frequency to the difference between the two tones.
Google Drive Downloads - Download the three (3) files and follow the instructions below.
You must be signed-in to your FCPS Google Account.
- Open a new Mixcraft project with three (3) audio tracks.
- Load the 440Hz file onto track 1 , making sure to place the file at the beginning of the track, with the signal panned center.
- Load the 445 and 450 Hz files into the next two consecutive tracks.
- Again, make sure all tracks are aligned to the beginning of the timeline
- Solo and play the 440 Hz tone.
- Solo both the 440 and 445 Hz tones and listen to their combined results. Can you hear the 5 Hz beat tone?
- Solo both the 445 and 450 Hz tones and listen to their combined results. Can you hear the 5 Hz beat tone?
- Now, solo both the 440 and 450 Hz tones and listen to their combined results. Can you hear the 10 Hz beat tone?
MASKING TUTORIAL
Masking is the phenomenon by which loud signals can prevent the ear from hearing softer sounds. The greatest masking effect occurs when the frequency of the sound and the frequency of the masking noise are close to each other.
Google Drive Downloads - Download the three (3) files and follow the instructions below.
You must be signed-in to your FCPS Google Account.
- Open a new Mixcraft project with three (3) audio tracks.
- Load the 1000 Hz file onto track 1, making sure to place the file at the beginning of the track, with the signal panned center.
- Load the 3800 and 4000 Hz files into the next two consecutive tracks.
- Solo and play the 1000 Hz tone.
- Solo both the 1000 and the 4000 Hz tones and listen to their combined results. Can you hear both of the tones clearly?
- Solo and play the 3800 Hz tone.
- Solo both the 3800 and the 4000 Hz tones and listen to their combined results. Can you hear both of the tones clearly?