The Physics of Music: Crash Course Physics #19

Music plays a big part in many of our lives. Whether you just like to listen or you enjoy playing an instrument, music is powerful. So what is music? How does it work? What are the physics of music? In this episode of Crash Course Physics, Shini talks to us about how music functions in terms of waves and how these waves interact with our ears.

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[crashcourse]

We made quiz questions to help you review the content in this episode! Find them on the free Crash Course App!

[eddiemalcolm]

PLEASE make Crash Course Music Theory a

[lazarustreeguitarist]

As a musician and science nerd this nearly brought me to tears. I loved this well done crash course. DFTBA.

[clarawollington]

Love this. Very useful for my Physics of Music university course.
Don't suppose you folks could do a series on music history, could you?

[petercampbell]

Please make more music-related videos!

[IonianGarden]

I want to see a Crash Course for Music Theory. It would explain more about the musical notation of the harmonic series. For example the first harmonic has 1 wave, the second has two. Doubling the frequency adds one octave (same note, but higher pitch). The third harmonic is the 5th of the relative scale. (If 1st and 2nd harmonic is C, the 3rd is G) and the forth harmonic is four waves, which is double the frequency of the second harmonic and thus two octaves above the first harmonic.

The fifth harmonic is interesting. It is a slightly flat third. This is why wind bands have the advantage over guitars and pianos. Wind bands can adjust the the thirds of chords to perfectly fit into the harmonic series to produce are more powerful chord.

[shakeweight]

No drums? OK sure I guess I'll go sit in a corner. oh wait! I already do.

[olbooim]

will we get a series talking all about music?

[generikadeyo]

I think this episode is really cool, and I learned a lot, but this just scratches the surface of the science of music.

[andrewau]

are you going to create a crash course for music?

[rileyyoung]

This is the video I've been searching for years to help explain music to my mates.
Thank you crashcourse and please do more music related videos.

[PatrickHogan]

I guess we percussionists just don't get to learn about our instruments.

[yelima]

i aM SO HAPPY THIS IS OUT NOW BECAUSE I HAVE A PHYSICS OF MUSIC REPORT TO WRITE THANK YOU

[willdarling]

Seen CrashCourses before, but this one made me go straight to Patreon and support.
Great work!
I usually set videos like this to 1.5x, but did not with this. Thanks for not dumbing down too far.

[rwb]

The Bassoon and Flute sounded different at the end because they weren't playing the same C. The Bassoon played the C an octave below the Flute's C. Should have had them both play the same frequency for a better example.

[katersss]

ermahgerd i clicked so fast, math and music are my everything

[project_hominoid]

I highly recommend pairing this video with "Why It's Impossible to Tune a Piano" by Minute Physics for those who are interested/studying music theory/mathematics. He expands on these concepts with more complex real-world mediums - very good stuff to know.

[banas]

The talk about closed- and open-ended pipes reminds me of an experience I had with a very long open-ended pipe (maybe 400 meters long?) that would "replay" anything shouted into one end a few seconds later. I mentioned it to my college acoustical physics teacher and he was unable to provide an explanation.

[SuperAppleFanatic]

As a musician I feel compelled to mention this:
A bigger reason why instruments sound different is because of how the sound is created, and what goes on inside the instrument.

[laravillanwav]

This combination of subjects is exactly why I am interested in majoring in acoustics. Love it!