Topicmfd67c7025ef8c36b_1528449000663_0Topic

The timbre of soundtimbre of soundtimbre of sound

Levelmfd67c7025ef8c36b_1528449084556_0Level

Second

Core curriculummfd67c7025ef8c36b_1528449076687_0Core curriculum

VIII. Vibrating motion and waves. The student:

6) describes the mechanism of the formation and propagation of sound waves in the air; gives examples of sound sources.

Timingmfd67c7025ef8c36b_1528449068082_0Timing

45 minutes

General learning objectivesmfd67c7025ef8c36b_1528449523725_0General learning objectives

Explanation of the concept of timbre.

Key competencesmfd67c7025ef8c36b_1528449552113_0Key competences

1. Explanation of the concept of basic tonebasic tonebasic tone.

2. Explanation of the significance of sound harmonics.

3. Indicating the sound timbre dependence on harmonic componentsharmonic componentsharmonic components.

Operational (detailed) goalsmfd67c7025ef8c36b_1528450430307_0Operational (detailed) goals

The student:

- knows the concept of basic tone,

- uses the concept of harmonic components and timbre.

Methodsmfd67c7025ef8c36b_1528449534267_0Methods

1. Discussion presenting new knowledge.

2. Conversational lecture.

Forms of workmfd67c7025ef8c36b_1528449514617_0Forms of work

1. Individual students' work with the book and the Internet.

2. Working in groups on solving problem tasks.

Lesson stages

Introductionmfd67c7025ef8c36b_1528450127855_0Introduction

Answer the introductory questions:

1. What is sound?
2. Name the features of sound.
3. Why do different sound sources, despite producing the wave with the same frequencyfrequencyfrequency, sound different?

Proceduremfd67c7025ef8c36b_1528446435040_0Procedure

The timbre - a characteristic sound that allows you to distinguish the sounds of different instruments or voice. The timbre of a given instrument may change slightly depending on:
- the method of inducing vibrations (tugging string with a bow, jerk or punch),
- excitation force (and therefore the volume of the sound),
- frequency (different strings can make sounds slightly different in timbre),
- changes in time.mfd67c7025ef8c36b_1527752263647_0The timbre - a characteristic sound that allows you to distinguish the sounds of different instruments or voice. The timbre of a given instrument may change slightly depending on:
- the method of inducing vibrations (tugging string with a bow, jerk or punch),
- excitation force (and therefore the volume of the sound),
- frequency (different strings can make sounds slightly different in timbre),
- changes in time.

[Illustration 1]

The red chart is a symbolic representation of the sound. Its shape includes, among others, the sounds presented in blue colors on the lower drawings. Almost every sound we hear is the sum of several harmonic sounds with different frequencies and amplitudes.

Speaking of the frequencyfrequencyfrequency of the sound is not as obvious as it seems because it is not clearly defined. However, it is not always sensible to talk about the sound frequency. In fact, only one type of sound has a well‑defined (precisely „single”) frequency. This sound is the harmonic wave (sinusoidal) and is called the tone.

Tones are like basic building blocks of sounds - no sounds are simpler than tones. Most of the complex sounds contain many tones, which affect the timbre of the sound.

The tone may be louder or quieter - but it remains the same tone all the time. The volume of each tone depends on its amplitudeamplitudeamplitude. The greater the amplitude of a given tone, the louder it is.

The tone itself does not sound very beautiful. It is simple and poor in timbre. Most common sounds are a mixture of many tones, with some tones lasting longer and other shorter; growing quickly or slowly; waving, intermitting, etc. All these together enable the musician to bring out wonderful mood from a good instrument, put us in a good mood, make us sad, touched, flurried, etc.

From the physical point of view, a better instrument usually produces more tones than the worse one. In addition, the instrument does not produce the so‑called „wolf tones”, i.e. unwanted tones in the spectrum of the sound. However, the impression of timbre depends not only on the presence of tones, but also on their „behavior”. It is important which the tones disappear faster and which disappear more slowly, how their disappearance proceeds, etc. We easily distinguish the sound of the piano from the sound of the violin; this is mainly due to the fact that string instruments can play very „long” notes and the control of the duration of the sound is much greater here than in the case of the piano. After all, this last instrument requires a completely different method of producing sound.mfd67c7025ef8c36b_1527752256679_0From the physical point of view, a better instrument usually produces more tones than the worse one. In addition, the instrument does not produce the so‑called „wolf tones”, i.e. unwanted tones in the spectrum of the sound. However, the impression of timbre depends not only on the presence of tones, but also on their „behavior”. It is important which the tones disappear faster and which disappear more slowly, how their disappearance proceeds, etc. We easily distinguish the sound of the piano from the sound of the violin; this is mainly due to the fact that string instruments can play very „long” notes and the control of the duration of the sound is much greater here than in the case of the piano. After all, this last instrument requires a completely different method of producing sound.

In the slides below sounds with the same basic tones produced by various instruments are presented.

[Slideshow]

Task

Find the sound generator on the Internet. e.g. as in the picture.

[Illustration 2]

Changing the different types of sound notice differences in color.

[Illustration 3]

Changing the different types of sound notice differences in color.

Lesson summarymfd67c7025ef8c36b_1528450119332_0Lesson summary

The timbre - a characteristic sound that allows you to distinguish the sounds of different instruments or voice. The timbre of a given instrument may change slightly depending on:
- the method of inducing vibrations (tugging string with a bow, jerk or punch),
- excitation force (and therefore the volume of the sound),
- frequency (different strings can make sounds slightly different in timbre),
- changes in time.mfd67c7025ef8c36b_1527752263647_0The timbre - a characteristic sound that allows you to distinguish the sounds of different instruments or voice. The timbre of a given instrument may change slightly depending on:
- the method of inducing vibrations (tugging string with a bow, jerk or punch),
- excitation force (and therefore the volume of the sound),
- frequency (different strings can make sounds slightly different in timbre),
- changes in time.

Selected words and expressions used in the lesson plan

acoustic waveacoustic waveacoustic wave

amplitudeamplitudeamplitude

basic tonebasic tonebasic tone

frequencyfrequencyfrequency

graphgraphgraph

harmonic componentsharmonic componentsharmonic components

harmonics submmisionharmonics submmisionharmonics submmision

instrument soundinstrument soundinstrument sound

stringstringstring

timbre of soundtimbre of soundtimbre of sound