Chapter 1
The kings of the kitchen
Chapter 2
The mighty kettles that sing
Chapter 3
From battlefield to concert hall
Chapter 4
The physics of making a racket
Chapter 5
Stealing the spotlight
YOUR GOAL
Master of Thunder in the back row
Ch 4 · The physics of making a racket
maestro Timpani Acoustics
The air trapped inside the copper kettle Makes the overtones align as the vibrations settle.
maestro Neon lines map chaotic sound waves turning into orderly frequencies inside a dark kettle.
Fun Fact
Waterphone sounds: The eerie, metallic groans used in horror movie soundtracks are produced by a waterphone, a percussion instrument containing a small amount of sloshing water.
Glossary
resonance (noun)
The reinforcement or prolongation of sound by reflection or by synchronous vibration. Striking a timpani drumhead vibrates the air within its copper kettle, amplifying the fundamental pitch.
The reinforcement or prolongation of sound by reflection or by synchronous vibration. Striking a timpani drumhead vibrates the air within its copper kettle, amplifying the fundamental pitch.
Quiz
Where is the ideal striking zone on a timpani head to achieve the richest, clearest pitch?
Quiz
What are the coiled metal wires stretched across the bottom of a snare drum called?
Quiz
How does striking a drumhead with a harder mallet affect the acoustic frequencies produced?
Quiz
What phenomenon causes an unplayed gong to hum when a brass instrument plays a matching note?