Understanding frequencies can be useful in many ways. Middle C itself is 261.63 Hz-a lower pitch, vibrating at a slower frequency. For instance, the A note right above Middle C on a piano is measured at 440 Hz-it travels up and down at 440 cycles per second. We measure sound frequency in hertz (Hz), which represents cycles-per-second, with faster frequencies creating higher-pitched sounds. The technical term is frequency, but many of us know it as pitch. Up…and then down…and then up…and then down. When we talk about a sound wave’s speed, we’re referring to how fast these longitudinal waves move from peak to trough and back to peak. It’s sine waves of various frequencies that send waves of emotion through you. It’s this movement that allows sound waves to do so many other things. It’s not a poor analogy to think of them somewhat like waves in the ocean. If the wave travels faster, those peaks and valleys form closer together. That shape is rolling peaks and valleys, the signature of a sine (aka sinusoid) wave. It’s even possible to see sound waves when they’re sent through a medium like sand, which leaves behind a kind of sonic footprint. Opera singers can use them to shatter glass. And, at a concert, we can feel the deep bass in our chest. If sound waves reach a microphone, like the industry-standard Shure SM7B mic, it transforms them into electronic impulses that are turned back into sound by vibrating speakers. We can experience sound waves in ways that are more physical, not just physiological, too. These pulses help you place where things are in your environment. Those acoustic waves travel from their source through a medium, like air or water, and when they come into contact with our eardrums, our brains translate the pressure waves into words or music, or signals we can understand. What are sound waves? Sound waves are a type of energy that’s released when an object vibrates. Unsplash, Pien Muller The shape of things to come Here’s a primer on the science of sound to help get you started. Understanding how sound works does have a number of practical applications, however, and you don’t have to be a physicist or engineer to explore this fascinating subject. Sure, most people care about how sounds make them feel, but they aren’t as concerned with how the sound actually affects them. If you’re not in the industry of audio you probably don’t think too much about the mechanics of sound. So, what are sound waves and how do they work? This reads like something out of science fiction, but what we’re talking about is very much real and already part of our day-to-day lives. They can trigger a range of emotions and they even cause physical damage. They have the power to communicate ideas, evoke fond memories, start fights, entertain an audience, scare the heck out of us, or help us fall in love. They slam into us constantly at more than 700 miles per hour, sometimes hurting, sometimes soothing. We live our entire lives surrounded by them. We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs.
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