On the Origins of Harmony – Sound Examples
Sound samples from On the Origins of Harmony.
Chapter 2 – Complex Tones
Sound 2.1: A single Pure Tone, then two Pure Tones. Then a single Complex Tone, then two Complex Tones.
Sound 2.2: Two Pure Tones, one playing 440 Hz, one playing 441 Hz. Then two Complex Tones, one playing 440 Hz, one playing 441 Hz.
Sound 2.3: Complex Tones at various pitches.
Sound 2.4: Two Pure Tones, one playing Concert A (440 Hz), one starting at Concert A and gliding up an octave. Then two Complex Tones doing the same.
Sound 2.5: A Bassoon playing C2, followed by an arpeggio created by isolating each harmonic of this same Bassoon sound.
Sound 2.6: Demonstration of the missing fundamental effect: First a normal Complex Tone consisting of the fundamental and seven other harmonics, then the same Complex Tone with the fundamental removed, finally the same Complex Tone with only the 3rd, 4th, and 5th harmonics presented.
Sound 2.7: Demonstration of tonal fusion where normally we do not directly perceive the individual harmonics that comprise a Complex Tone. First a normal Complex Tone consisting of the fundamental and seven other harmonics, then the same Complex Tone with each of its harmonics entering one-by-one from lowest to highest.
Sound 2.8: A single Pure Tone, then two Pure Tones. Then a single Complex Tone, then two Complex Tones. (Reprise of Sound 2.1.)
Sound 2.9: A synthesized Complex Tone played solo, then doubled several different times, then played solo again. Demonstrates the different ways harmonics can reinforce or cancel each other when two complex tones play the same exact pitch.
Sound 2.10: Two Pure Tones, one playing 440 Hz, one playing 441 Hz. Then two Complex Tones, one playing 440 Hz, one playing 441 Hz. (Reprise of Sound 2.2.)
Sound 2.11: Two distinctly out-of-tune Complex Tones sounding together, one playing A4 (440 Hz), one 10 Hz sharper at 450 Hz (a rather sharp A4).
Sound 2.12: Two Complex Tones sounding together, one at A440, and one 10 Hz sharper (at 450 Hz). Then each corresponding pair of harmonics: the first harmonics together (440 Hz and 450 Hz), the second harmonics (880 Hz and 900 Hz), and so forth.