I found that, after reading about the physics behind music and sound, it is incredible how people can combine a natural musical instinct and science to create amazing work. Weaving melodies and harmonies into a movement of work without the help of any science, like in Beethoven’s or Bach’s situations, takes a high level of skill and brilliance.
Being able to detect specific frequencies also takes a trained ear, one most likely with Perfect Pitch. I also find that it’s amazing how some musicians are able to play the violin, and piano, among other instruments, and differentiate the frequencies created by both.
____________________________
After our lecture this week, I decided to do more research on an instrument that has no strings or air chambers, and to play it, you don’t even touch it. The theremin, created in the 1930s, was an instrument unlike any made before. Its antennas emit electromagnetic fields (see source below) that can be interrupted by the motion of a hand, creating eery sounds, some of which are popularly used in scary movies. Léon Theremin even said, “I conceived of an instrument that would create sound without using any mechanical energy, like the conductor of an orchestra.” (http://www.thereminvox.com/article/articleview/18/1/1/)
The science behind the instrument is even more interesting than the noises it produces. When an electromagnetic field is interrupted by something (like a hand), it changes the field’s frequency. What’s curious is how Theremin allowed for pitch and volume changes. He installed two separate antennas on a box of oscillators. The one that regulated pitch was hooked up to two oscillators whose frequencies were meshed together. The one that regulated volume was only attached to one oscillator.
(http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/gadgets/audio-music/theremin2.htm)
Luckily, I was able to try out a friend’s theremin on New Year’s Eve. I must admit, it seems a bit magical to not touch anything and still be able to produce sounds, but it is very difficult to play a melody. I’m very glad that I now understand the physics behind this fascinating musical instrument.
This article, which I have cited, gives a much more in-depth description of the theremin and its history:
http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/gadgets/audio-music/theremin.htm