Harmonics - the basis of sound design

Question 1

In nature, what sound vibrates at only one frequency at a time?

Answer 1

In nature there is no sound that vibrates at only one frequency at a time

Question 2

What do we call a sound that vibrates at only one frequency at a time?

Answer 2

A sine wave

Question 3

Most sounds have a lot of frequencies. Among them, what frequencies are known as the fundamental?

Answer 3

The lower frequencies are called the fundamental.

Question 4

What are the fundamental frequencies (when a sound has a cocktail of many frequencies)?

Answer 4

The lower sounds - that’s often the note we hear and that we can sing.

Question 5

Most sounds have a lot of frequencies. Among them, what frequencies are known as overtones?

Answer 5

All frequencies other than the fundamental

Question 6

What are the two kinds of overtones?

Answer 6

Harmonic and inharmonic.

Question 7

Out of harmonic and inharmonic, which overtones participate to the musical note we hear in the sound, the one that we can sing?

Answer 7

Harmonic

Question 8

What does it mean to say that harmonic overtones are part of the harmonic series of the fundamental?

Answer 8

Their frequency is a multiple of the fundamental’s frequency.