The Enjoyment of Music: Essential Listening Edition
Explorations
Music and Sound
Music differs from other sounds in that it has a perceivable and measurable pitch, which is determined by the frequency (the number of vibrations per second). The pitch depends on the length or size of the vibrating object. For example, a short string vibrates faster (at a greater frequency) than a longer one, and therefore produces a higher pitch. This is why a violin sounds higher than a double bass. A sound without a distinct pitch might be considered noise.
A musical sound is represented by a note (
) that indicates
not only pitch but duration, or length of vibration. We
also perceive its amplitude or volume (loudness), measured
in decibels. (This term is named after the Scottish inventor
Alexander Graham Bell, who is popularly credited with the
invention of the telephone.) One further feature of each musical
sound is its tone color, or timbre, which is how we distinguish
different instruments and voices.
Section Menu
Instructors now have an easy way to collect students’ online quizzes with the Norton Gradebook without flooding their inboxes with e-mails.
Students can track their online quiz scores by setting up their own Student Gradebook.