Math and Music: An Introduction and Mathematical Analysis
Rhythm and Frequency To understand the relation between math and music, the primary step is to study the nature of rhythm, frequency and amplitude. Everything around us has its own pattern of rhythm, from the motion of protons and neutrons, to the beats in rock music. Rhythm is determined by the periodicity of vibration of certain object in its surrounding substance, or medium. The vibration is repeated at a constant time length, thus creating wave motion. The repeated portion of the rhythm is referred as a cycle, or one wave. There are two types of wave motion: transverse waves and longitudinal waves. The particles in a transverse wave vibrate perpendicular to the
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Further inspection shows that two adjacent notes are in the ratio of 1.059…
For example:
Freq. of A#3 / freq. of A3 = 233.1 Hz / 220 Hz = 1.059…
Freq. of C4 / freq. of B3 = 261.6 Hz/ 246.9 Hz = 1.059…
Freq. of G4 / freq. of F#4 = 392.0 Hz / 370.0 Hz = 1.059…
The examples show that the frequency of any note is a product of the frequency of the adjacent note before it and the constant number 1.059.
Proof:
Let an octave start from key A. The ratio of frequency between adjacent keys is h.
Then, A# / A = h, A# = A•h
A# = A• h
B = A# • h = (A•h) h = A • h2
C = B• h = (A • h2) h = A • h3
…
Since there are 12 half steps in an octave, A* = A • h12
Which means, A* / A = h12, h = (A* / A) ^ (1/12)
Since A* / A = 2/1, h = 2^(1/12) = 1.059463094…
The frequency relationships within any octave are as follows:
Intervals
An interval is the scale between two tones. Basically, there are two kinds of intervals: Melodic interval and Harmonic Interval. Musical interval is distinguishable from music degree and music number, because they are indivisible. Since our ears have very complex structure, we are able to hear the harmony and melody very easily. Music is not a set of random pitch combined together. We could recognize different sounds, since our ears are extremely sensitive to intervals, unison and octave. Intervals play the main role in music of
Problems #65 - #94 from page 311. Please provide your answer after each problem and submit the file with your answers through Blackboard.
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To conclude we showed how use the Radical Formulas in each problem that we were working. We broke out each step so that we would have a better time understanding how one would answer this question. We have shown our work in hopes that other will be able to follow these same steps to find their solutions. We now have a better understanding of the Radical Formulas.
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2.1. Observation - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 4~5
Theory states that T and d are related by the equation: T2 = kd3+ (4π2 l)/g where g is the acceleration of free fall and k is a constant.