Interactive museum of musical sound
Pluck the string.
The instrument is a monochord: one measured string over a sounding box. A movable bridge shortens the part that can vibrate. Pick a stop, then pluck.
Divide the string on the monochord above.
Return to The string →What to notice
Simple ratios of string length make familiar intervals.
Divide the length by two. The frequency doubles. Take off less than that and the pitch rises by less. The bridge on the instrument above makes the cut, and the rule beneath it reads the fraction.
Each stop leaves a shorter length, so each stop sounds higher.
Add the second string on the instrument above and keep it whole. Each stop then sounds with it, and the name of that pair arrives on its row.
Two tones lock together when both waves return to their starting phase after a few cycles. At 2:1 that happens every cycle. Bigger numbers make the ear wait longer for the pattern to come round.
Exhibit directory