The Science of Sound
Music is both an art and a science. Explore how the principles of science come to life through the playable installations in the Sound Garden at the Indian Music Experience Museum
Vibration by Indian Music Experience MuseumIndian Music Experience Museum
How is Sound Produced?
All sound is produced because of vibrations. When an object vibrates, it creates sound waves, which travel through a medium (air, water etc.) to reach our ears, causing the sensation of sound.
Music Production ZakirIndian Music Experience Museum
How is music produced?
The basic element of music is a musical tone (Nada in the Indian tradition). Music is created by a systematic arrangement of musical tones. A musical tone is simply a sound that is steady and pleasing to the ears, characterized by its pitch, duration, loudness and timbre.
Sound Garden OverviewIndian Music Experience Museum
The Sound Garden
The IME's sound garden features 10 playable musical installations that bring different principles of sound to life.
Resonance by Indian Music Experience MuseumIndian Music Experience Museum
What is Resonance?
Resonance is a phenomenon where sound is amplified or made louder.
Resonance occurs when the frequency (defined as number of vibrations per second) of the stimulus is the same as that of the vibrating system.
Humming Stone (2022-03-15) by Humming Stone at Indian Music Experience MuseumIndian Music Experience Museum
HUMMING STONE
The Humming Stone in IME is a block of natural unpolished stone, with two singing hollows or caves in which one has to place one's head and hum. The stone uses the principles of resonance and amplification - with the cavity acting as a resonator.
Humming StoneIndian Music Experience Museum
Frequency by Indian Music Experience MuseumIndian Music Experience Museum
What is Frequency and Wavelength?
Frequency
Frequency is the number of vibrations per second. A faster vibration produces higher frequency, resulting in a higher pitch of sound, while a slower vibration produces lower frequency waves, resulting in a low pitch.
Wavelength
Wavelength refers to the distance between two consecutive high points (crests) or two consecutive low points (troughs) of the sound wave.
Frequency and wavelength share an inverse relationship, which means an object with higher frequency will have a lower wavelength and vice versa.
Tubular Bells by IMEMIndian Music Experience Museum
TUBULAR BELLS
The Tubular Bells consist of aluminium tubes that are struck with mallets to produce sound. When the long tube is struck it produces a low, deeper tone while the shorter tubes produces higher tones.
Tubular BellsIndian Music Experience Museum
Timbre by Indian Music Experience MuseumIndian Music Experience Museum
What is Timbre?
Timbre refers to the 'tone' or 'colour' of the sound, and is what makes musical instruments sound different from each other. Timbre varies due the material used for the instrument, type of construction of the instrument and its playing technique.
Sound Table (2022-03-15) by Indian Music Experience MuseumIndian Music Experience Museum
SOUND TABLE
The Sound Table consists of bars of various materials (wood, metal and stone) which are struck with mallets.
This sound produced by each of these instruments varies because of the materials they are made from, leading to a different timbre.
Sound TableIndian Music Experience Museum
Harmony by Indian Music Experience MuseumIndian Music Experience Museum
What is Harmonics and Harmony?
HARMONICS
Musical instruments produce a number of frequencies. The lowest discernible frequency is the fundamental and the higher frequencies are overtones. A harmonic has a frequency that is a multiple of the fundamental. In music, harmonics are used to play higher notes, and to produce a rich tone.
HARMONY
When certain groups of notes are played together, they sound pleasing to the human ear, because of harmony. One reason for this harmony is the relationship between the frequency of the individual notes.
Flower Gong (2022-03-15) by Flower Gong at Indian Music Experience MuseumIndian Music Experience Museum
FLOWER GONG
The flower gong is beautifully shaped, like the petals of a lotus. It has brass plates in the middle of each petal. When one strikes the plates with the attached mallets, they produce a rich sound, almost like church bells.
Each gong, when individually struck, has a rich tone, owing to the presence of a number of harmonics. When adjacent plates are struck together, they sound pleasing as they are in harmony. The adjacent plates are tuned in harmonic triads i.e. groups of three plates when struck together produce a major chord of Western music.
Flower Gong by IMEMIndian Music Experience Museum
What Is Friction?
Friction refers to the resistance when two objects move against each other. In music, friction is desirable, as it causes a stick-slip motion, leading to vibration and hence sound. Friction occurs when the bow of the violin moves against the string.
Singing Stone (2022-03-15) by Singing Stone at Indian Music Experience MuseumIndian Music Experience Museum
SINGING STONES
These singing stones are made of polished black granite and produce
musical notes when rubbed with palms moistened with water. We can also feel the vibrations generated in the stone and the air columns in between, and in the ground.
Singing stones by IMEMIndian Music Experience Museum
Spinner Chime (2022-03-15) by Indian Music Experience MuseumIndian Music Experience Museum
SPINNER CHIME
The spinner chime consists of tubular bells that are mounted on a central spindle. When the tubes are struck with a mallet in succession, they rotate, creating an interesting array of sounds.
Storm Drum (2022-03-15) by Indian Music Experience MuseumIndian Music Experience Museum
Storm Drum
The storm drum is a long cylindrical steel drum with a membrane and a steel spring attached on one side.
When the steel spring is wound and let go, the spring’s movement transmits low range frequencies which are amplified in the cylinder to create the sound of a storm.
Storn Drum by IMEMIndian Music Experience Museum
Melody Chime (2022-03-15) by Indian Music Experience MuseumIndian Music Experience Museum
MELODY CHIME
This electric melody wind chime is operated electronically to produce soothing sounds in a pre-defined pattern and rhythm. The gentle tinkling sound that emanates helps in enhancing the calmness and serenity of this space.
Melody Chime by IMEMIndian Music Experience Museum
Sound Railing by IMEMIndian Music Experience Museum
Sound Railing (2022-03-15) by Indian Music Experience MuseumIndian Music Experience Museum
SOUND RAILING
The Sound Railing comprises a long series of thin tubes with adjacent mallets. Running your hands along the mallets causes them to strike the tubes, to create a continuous pattern of sound and melody.
Explanatory Notes on Sound: Dr K Varadarangan
Videography: Hashtag Photography
Audio Production: Ajit Rao and Kaustubh G R
Illustrations: Mihir Gudi
