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Keely
"I think the true definition of sound is a certain order of etheric flow, consisting of actual radiant atomic corpuscles ruptured from a static condition by disturbance of atomic equilibrium." [Keely circa 1890, SOUND - Snell]
Mrs. F. Hughes writing "Tones and Colors", advances theories of her own, which correspond with Keely's. "I firmly believe that exactly the same laws as those which develop sound keep the heavenly bodies in their order. You can even trace the poles in sound." [Snell Manuscript - The Book, page 2]
"He [Keely] has invented instruments which demonstrate in many variations the colours of sound, registering the number of necessary vibrations to produce each variation. The transmissive sympathetic chord of B flat, third octave, when passing into inaudibility, would induce billions of billions of vibrations, represented by sound colour on a screen illuminated from a solar ray." [Bloomfield-Moore] [3rd octave]
"A dynamo-electric machine is placed at any given spot; its object, being put in action, is to withdraw from the earth its neutral electricity, to decompose it into its two conditions and to collect, upon accumulators, the electricity thus separated. As soon as the accumulators are charged, the electricity is disposable; that is, our lamps can be lighted. But what is marvelous in all this is that the forces of nature can be transformed at will. Should we not wish for light, we turn a knob and we have sound, heat, motion, chemical action, magnetism. Little seems wanting to create intelligence, so entirely do these accumulated forces lend themselves to all the transformations which their engineer may imagine and desire. But let us consider how greatly superior is our cerebral mechanism. In order to light a theatre we require a wide space, a dynamo-electric machine of many horse-power, accumulators filling many receptacles, a considerable expense in fuel, and clever mechanicians. In the human organism these engines are in miniature, one decimeter cube is all the space occupied by our brain; no wheels, no pistons, nothing to drive the apparatus, we suffice ourselves. In this sense, each of us can say, like the philosopher Biaz:- Omnia mecum porto. Our cerebral organ not only originates motion, heat, sound, light, chemical actions, magnetism, but it produces psychic forces, such as will, reasoning, judgment, hatred, love, and the whole series of intellectual faculties. They are all derived from the same source, and are always identical to each other, so long as the cerebral apparatus remains intact. The variations of our health alone are capable of causing a variation in the intensity and quality of our productions.[Keely, Vibratory Physics - The Connecting Link between Mind and Matter]
"In my estimation, sound truly defined is the disturbance of atomic equilibrium, rupturing actual atomic corpuscles and the substance thus liberated must certainly be a certain order of etheric flow." [Keely, THE NEUTRAL CENTER]Sound Spectrum
Law/Source | ||||
Keely
"I find in my researches, as to the condition of molecules under vibration, that discordance cannot exist in the molecule proper; and that it is the highest and most perfect structural condition that exists; providing that all the progressive orders are the same. Discordance in any mass is the result of differentiated groups, induced by antagonistic chords, and the flight or motions of such, when intensified by sound, are very tortuous and zigzag; but when free of this differentiation are in straight lines. Tortuous lines denote discord, or pain; straight lines denote harmony, or pleasure. Any differentiated mass can be brought to a condition of harmony, or equation, by proper media, and an equated sympathy produced." [Keely and His Discoveries, Chapter VII]
"In the image of man" Keely constructed his liberator. Not literally, but, as his vibrophone (for collecting the waves of sound and making each wave distinct from the other in tone when the "wave plate" is struck after the sound has died away) is constructed after the human ear so his liberator corresponds in its parts to the human head. [Snell Manuscript - The Book, page 2]
"The experiment illustrating "chord of mass" sympathy was repeated, using a glass chamber, 40 inches in height, filled with water, standing on a slab of glass. Three metal spheres, weighing about 6 ounces each, rested on the glass floor. The chord of mass of these spheres was B flat first octave, E flat second octave and B flat third octave. Upon sounding the note B flat on the sympathetic transmitter, the sphere having that chord of mass rose slowly to the top of the chamber, the positive end of the wire having been attached, which connected the covered jar with the transmitter. The same result followed the sound of the other spheres, all of which descended as gently as they rose, upon changing the positive to the negative. J.M. Wilcox, who was present remarked: "This experiment proves the truth of a fundamental law in scholastic philosophy, that when one body attracts or seeks another body, it is not that the effect is the sum of the effects produced by parts of one body upon parts of another, one aggregate of effects, but the result of the operation of one whole upon another whole." [Snell Manuscript - The Book, page 3]
"The human ear cannot detect the triple chord of any vibration, or sounding note but every sound that is induced of any range, high or low, is governed by the same laws, as regards triple action of such that govern every sympathetic flow in Nature. Were it not for these triple vibratory conditions, change of polarity could never be effected, and consequently there could be no rotation. Thus the compounding of the triple triple, to produce the effect would give a vibration in multiplication reaching the ninth, in order to induce subservience, the enumeration which it would be folly to undertake, as the result would be a string of figures a mile in length to denote it. [Snell Manuscript - The Book, DISTURBANCE OF MAGNETIC NEEDLE, page 8]
"In organ pipes, of a certain calibre, very sensitive waves occur at intervals; as according to the character of the sound evolved; but on a combination of resonators composed of brass tubes of more than nine in number, a wave of sound, induced by certain chords passing over them, produces high vortex action of the air enclosed in them. The vibration of tuning forks induces alternate condition of the air that surrounds them, if in open atmosphere; but quite a different action presents itself when the forks are exercised in resonating tubes, set to thirds of the mass chord they represent. Then high vortex action is the instant result. Vibrators cannot be set promiscuously in tubes, and get such results, any more than a musician can render a musical composition on the violin before tuning it." [Appendix I]
"I believe sound to be a real substance of unknown and wonderful tenuity, emanating as absolute corpuscles - interatomic particles - from matter when induced by percussion. Sound has a velocity of 20,000 feet per second in vacuo, in air, 1120 ft. per second. The substance thus disseminated is an actual component of the agitated mass and were this condition to continue indefinitely the mass would eventually be disintegrated. I think the true definition of sound is "a certain order of Etheric flow, consisting of actual radiant atomic corpuscles ruptured from a static condition by disturbance of atomic equilibrium."
"Every gaseous molecule is a resonator sensitive to any and all discordant sounds. Inaudibility is no proof of nonexistence of acoustic force. The ear could not hear the total acoustic force transmitted by 1,000,000,000,000 molecules."
"The molecule contains only harmony - discordance in any mass is only the result of differentiated chords. Any mass so differentiated can be brought into harmony or equated, by the proper chords, be that mass animal matter, vegetable matter or mineral, solid, liquid or gas. Discordance cannot exist in the molecule as a unit. That which we term discord exists in sound itself, not in matter."
"If our hearing were intensified a billion times, we might be able to hear the chord note of aggregate masses, the fundamental monotones of liquids, and gas volumes, the musical notes given off by electric streams and hear the streams of light as they come through a window, as plainly as we now hear the wind in the trees."
"There is still a vast region of the inaudible to be conquered, but the audible has been so conquered in my instruments as to put me in touch with the inaudible. It is now only necessary to ascertain the terrestrial chord masses, and when I have conquered the inaudible I shall be able to control this most subtle force and run sympathetic machinery."
He tested inaudible vibration by means of the magnetic needle and alteration of light frequencies to produce sound colors.
Pythagoras believed and taught that the laws of harmony control the movements of the heavenly bodies. Is it not proof of the wonderful Outreach of the mind of this ancient philosopher that it has taken nineteen centuries to even indicate that this is a fact, and not merely a "poetic fancy?" Snell Manuscript
"I assume that sound, like odor, is a real substance of unknown and wonderful tenuity, emanating from a body where it has been induced by percussion, and throwing out absolute corpuscles of matter - interatomic particles - with a velocity of 1120 feet per second, in vacuo 20,000. The substance which is thus disseminated is a part and parcel of the mass agitated, and if kept under this agitation continuously would, in the course of a certain cycle of time, become thoroughly absorbed by the atmosphere; or, more truly, would pass through the atmosphere to an elevated point of tenuity corresponding to the condition of subdivision that govern its liberation from its parent body. The sounds from vibratory forks, set so as to produce etheric chords, while disseminating their compound tones permeate most thoroughly all substances that come under the range of their atomic bombardment. The clapping of a bell in vacuo liberates these atoms with the same velocity and volume as one in the open air; and were the agitation of the bell kept up continuously for a few millions of centuries, it would thoroughly return to its primitive element. If the chamber were hermetically sealed, and strong enough, the vacuous volume surrounding the bell would be brought to a pressure of many thousands of pounds to the square inch, by the tenuous substance evolved. In my estimation, sound truly defined is the disturbance of atomic equilibrium, rupturing actual atomic corpuscles; and the substance thus liberated must certainly be a certain order of etheric flow. Under these conditions is it unreasonable to suppose that, if this flow were kept up, and the body thus robbed of its element, it would in time disappear entirely? All bodies are formed primitively from this high tenuous ether, animal, vegetal and mineral, and they only return to their high gaseous condition when brought under a state of differential equilibrium." [Keely in More Science]
"No such thing as discord exists in the molecule. Discordance results from chords producing differentiation and may be equated by the proper chord of harmony. Every gaseous molecule is a resonator to any and all vibrations, whether concordant or discordant. That which we term discord exists in sound itself, not in matter." [Snell Manuscript - the book, DISCORD - Snell]
"That tuning forks can be so constructed as to show coincident or concordant association with each other, is but a very weak illustration of the fact which governs pure acoustic assimilation. The best only approach a condition of about a fortieth, as regards pure attractive and propulsive receptiveness. By differentiating them to concordant thirds, they induce a condition of molecular bombardment between themselves, by alternate changes of long and short waves of sympathy. Bells rung in vacuo liberate the same number of corpuscles, at the same velocity as those surrounded by a normal atmosphere, and hence the same acoustic force attending them, but are inaudible from the fact that, in vacuo, the molecular volume is reduced. Every gaseous molecule is a resonator of itself, and is sensitive to any and all sounds induced, whether accordant or discordant." [attractive and propulsive receptiveness]
"Taking the law of assimilation as the cosmical law, together with self-manifesting power as the characteristic of being, we reach a primary classification of created objects, which corresponds with that which is known as mind and matter - or rather let us say mind and that which is not mind; for there is ground for the apprehension that mind and matter do not include all that exists; and that, along with matter, ether ought to be considered as something intimately related to matter indeed, but yet not just matter. When the elements of the ethereal medium are regarded as truly and simply material however small and light they may be, the elasticity and pressure which must be assigned to that medium in order to admit of the velocity of light, are altogether out of the harmony of things; and wholly incredible, especially when confronted with the phenomena and the theory of astronomy. Thus, to justify the velocity of light on the same principles as those of sound, in various material media, the ethereal pressure must be 122,400,000,000 times greater than that of the atmosphere - which is incredible, says Macvicar." [Law of Assimilation]
"The series of experiments, daily for one week, that I am now preparing to give before an expert committee, for the purpose of enabling this committee to make a public announcement of the scientific and commercial value of my system of sympathetic vibratory physics, comprises:
First. - Operation of the polar circuit, drawing power from space, and showing control of various degrees of velocity.
Second. - Sensitization of a polar disk, after having had its complete neutrality to magnetism tested.
Third. - After associating it with the polar test-medium, heavily weighting it to demonstrate its attractive power; the weight remaining suspended to it by this power.(7)
Fourth. - Transmitter connected to the test-medium, while the disk is carrying the weight. Negative vibration transferred; effecting complete dissociation; the disk and weights dropping to the floor.
Fifth. - Rotation of compass needle, on a set of resonators, subservient to any one of the resonators, in defiance of its attraction to the north. Variations given; changing its subservience to different resonators, as the introductory impulse is changed.(8)
Sixth. - Mediums, representing the chords of different masses of metal, made to float in a tall jar of water, with extraordinary changes of position.
Seventh. - Operations of a sensitized globe, by sound.
Eighth. - Operations of the globe under the influence of the improved polar sympathetic transmitter.
Ninth. - Disintegration of water by triple vibration,(9) showing progressive degrees of energy (from molecular to interatomic, etc., etc.) on different rates of transfer." [The Operation of the Vibratory Circuit]
Russell
"Tone means sound. Mass accumulates all down the entire ten octaves; tone lowers from the highest note down the cosmic keyboard to the lowest." [Russell, The Universal One; Book 01 - Chapter 15 - The Formula of the Locked Potentials.]
"Fig. 62 is the seed. When it is ready to extend - or to be reborn as an oak, or man, or carbon atom, it divides and becomes the fulcrum of itself. The Mind-projection mirrors then provide a cube wave-field for projecting idea into measured form of idea. By studying figures 62-63 - and 64 - you will also see why nature can never pass beyond the sphere in form. That is the end of its journey. The reversal of polarization begins there. The charge then becomes discharge. Spheres then oblate by throwing off rings. In ordinary language life is maximum there and death must take over. Life and death are born in the same cradle but they meet at that point as equals. That is the basis of the radar principle. The end of the journey of sound, as of all things else, is in one of the eight corners of the cube wave-field. Sound must return from that focal point. It is "reflected" from there. Electrical and radar engineers recognize that fact. They have even coined the name of "corner reflector" for it." [Atomic Suicide, page 256]
"Silence is one - but sound springs from silence when its divided moving pair collide - so sound is three, and its vibrations in sequences of rest and action, are also three." [Atomic Suicide, page 109]
"Forms and sounds which are born in space are thus echoed back into space." [Atomic Suicide - Fig 63]
"Tone means sound. [Russell, The Universal One; Book 01 - Chapter 15 - The Formula of the Locked Potentials.]
[see Law of Transformation of Forces]
See Longitudinal
Sound Waves: The Symphony of Sound (most excellent video)
Sound Waves: The Symphony of Physics
Sound, in SVP terms, is not limited to audible vibration or oscillation. Sound is recognized as a compression and rarefaction wave regardless of frequency and whether the sound can be heard or not by the human ear or detecting instrument.
Ramsay
"Although a sound is composed of the notes which, when developed, constitute three chords, beautifully differing in their musical effects; yet, as the three notes which make the fundamental chord have sixteen of the twenty-five circles of vibrations, this determines the predominance of the fundamental chord. And as the root of this chord has seven of these sixteen circles, the top of the chord five, and the middle of the chord four, so do these seven circles of vibration determine the predominance of the note to which they belong, and conspire to give a wondrous unity of effect to what is really a highly complex sound." [Scientific Basis and Build of Music, page 18]
After vibrations the next thing is musical notes, the sounds produced by the vibrations falling into the ear. Sounds arise in association. There are no bare simple sounds in music; it is a thing full of the play of sympathy. Such a thing as a simple solitary sound would be felt as a strange thing in our ears, accustomed as we are to hear affiliated sounds only. These affiliated sounds, called "harmonics," or "partials" as they have also been called, because they are the parts of which the sound is made up, are like perspective in vision. In perspective the objects lying in the line of sight, seem smaller and smaller, and more dim and indefinite as they stretch away into the distance; while nearer objects and those in the foreground are apparently larger, and are more clearly seen. This is the way of a musical sound; one of its component elements, the fundamental partial, being, as it were, in the foreground to the ear, is large and pronounced; while the other elements are less distinctly heard, and are fainter and fainter as they recede into the musical distance in the perspective of the ear. Few have any idea of the number of these weaker partials of a musical sound. Tyndal's illustrations in his very instructive work on Sound show a string spontaneously divided into twenty segments, all vibrating separately, being divided by still nodes along its length; and a vibrating string will keep thus [Scientific Basis and Build of Music, page 58]
dividing itself by 2 or 3 or 5, etc., up through the whole geometrical series of numbers, not keeping fixed at one thing; but while the whole length is vibrating the fundamental partial, it keeps shifting the still nodes along its length, and sometimes longer and sometimes shorter segments are sounding the other partials which clothe the chief sound. It has been commonly said that "a musical sound is composed of three sounds," for every ear is capable of hearing these three, and with a little attention a few more than these; but many will be startled when told that there are twenty-five sounds in that sound. Eighteen of them are simply the octaves of the other seven, all of these seven except one having one or more octaves in the sound. Four of the seven also are very feeble, the one which has no octave being the feeblest of all. Two of the other three are so distinctly audible along with the chief partial that they gave rise to the saying we have quoted about a musical sound being composed of three sounds.1 If the three most pronounced partials were equally developed in one sound, it could not be called one sound - it would decidedly be a chord; and when in the system they do become developed, they form a chord; but in the one sound they, the partials, having fewer and fewer octaves to strengthen them, fade away in the perspective of sound. The sharp seventh, which in the developed system has only one place, not coming into existence until the sixth octave of the genesis, is by far the feeblest of all the partials, and Nature did well to appoint it so. These harmonics are also sometimes called "overtones," because they are higher than the fundamental one, which is the sound among the sounds, as the Bible is the book among books. [Scientific Basis and Build of Music, page 59]
Guiseppe Tartini, 200 years ago, while practicing on his violin, observed a very interesting phenomenon in music in the matter of notes or sounds, [Scientific Basis and Build of Music, page 59]
Speaking of acute harmonics Pole says - "The first six are the only ones usually considered to be of any practical importance, and it is rarely possible to distinguish more than 10 or 12."
Mercenne (French, 1636) says - "Every string produces 5 or more sounds at the same instant, the strongest of which is called the natural sound of the string, and alone is accustomed to be taken notice of; for the others are so feeble that they are only perceptible to delicate ears . . . not only the octave and fifteenth, but also the twelfth and major seventeenth are always heard; and over and above these I have perceived the twenty-third and ninth partial tones in the dying away of the natural sound."[Scientific Basis and Build of Music, page 59]
the excess of the vibrations of the one note over the other makes one or more sounds which are called "grave harmonics;" e.g., in the interval of the fifth, in the ratio of 2:3, the excess of 3 over 2 is 1, so the grave harmonic is an octave below the lowest of the two notes, that is, the ratio of 1:2. This reinforces the lowest note, 2, and gives it a solid effect. In this way the octave is incorporated into the fifth, and unity with variety is combined with the law of continuity at the very threshold of harmony. In 32 of the 42 intervals the grave harmonics are notes which belong to the natural scale. In the 10 remaining intervals which have not the exact number of vibrations found anywhere in the natural scale, 6 of them are from the number 7, thus - 7, 7, 7, 21, 21, 35; the remaining 4 are from 11, 13, 13, and 19. [Scientific Basis and Build of Music, page 77]
Helmholtz falls into a mistake when he says- "The system of scales and modes, and all the network of harmony founded on them, do not seem to rest on any immutable laws of Nature, but are due to the aesthetical principle which is constantly subject to change, according to the progressive development of taste." It is true, indeed, that the ear is the last judge; but the ear is to judge something which it does not create, but simply judges. Nature is the maker of music in its scales and modes. The styles of composition may vary with successive generations, and in the different nations of men; but the scientific basis of music is another thing. It is a thing, belonging to the aesthetic element of our being and our environment; it is under the idea of the beautiful, rather than the idea of the useful or the just; but all these various aspects of our relation to creation have their laws which underlie whatever changes may be fashionable at any period in our practice. If the clang-farbe of a musical tone, that is, its quality or timbre, depends on the number and comparative strength of the partial tones or harmonics of which it is composed, and this is considered to be the great discovery of Helmholtz, it cannot be that the scales and modes are at the caprice of the fickle and varied taste of times and individuals, for these partials are under Nature's mathematical usages, and quite beyond any taste for man's to change. It is these very partials or harmonics brought fully into view as a system, and they lead us back and back till they have brought us to the great all-prevading law of gravitation; it is these very partials, which clothe as an audible halo every musical sound, which constitute the musical system of sounds. [Scientific Basis and Build of Music, page 78]
Mr. Pole, in his Philosophy of Music, begins his remarks about the scale by a reference to the savage condition of men, and their few and uncouth musical sounds. This is the fashionable way at present of viewing mankind's early days. It is not necessary, however, to conceive the first state of mankind [Scientific Basis and Build of Music, page 78]
2 - In the second sphere the tension of strings and other elastic bodies imbues them with forces operating upon the elastic air, producing vibrations quick enough to awaken sounds for the human ear. Here Nature plays on her tuneful harp the same grand fugue; from which everything in music is derived. [Scientific Basis and Build of Music, page 86]
The sympathy of one thing with another, and of one part of a thing with another part of it, arises from the principle of unity. For example, a string requires to be uniform and homogenous to have harmonics producing a fine quality of tone by the sweet blendings of sympathy; if it be not so, the tone may be miserable ... You say you wish I were in touch with Mr. Keely; so do I myself ... I look upon numbers very much as being the language which tells out the doings of Nature. Mr. Keely begins with sounds, whose vibrations can be known and registered. I presume that the laws of ratio, position, duality, and continuity, all the laws which go to mould the plastic air by elastic bodies into the sweetness of music, as we find them operative in the low silence of oscillating pendulums, will also be found ruling and determining all in the high silence of interior vibrations which hold together or shake asunder the combinations which we call atoms and ultimate elements, but which may really be buildings of wondrous complexity occupying different ranges of place and purpose between the visible cosmos and Him who built and evermore buildeth all things. The same laws, though operating in different spheres, make the likenesses of things in motion greater than the differences. [Scientific Basis and Build of Music, page 87]
Hughes
General remarks on harmonies of tones and colours
—The scheme gained without technical knowledge
—Brief explanation of how the laws were gained
—The development of numbers showed the "to and fro" in the development of sounds
—Multequivalency of harmonies veering round, or advancing and retiring in musical clef
—Before judging, close examination requested, . 12 [Harmonies of Tones and Colours, Table of Contents1 - Harmonies]
Helmholtz's experiments on developing colours shown to agree with the scheme
—The sounds of the Falls of Niagara are in triplets or trinities
—The Arabian system divides tones into thirds
—Two trinities springing from unity apparently the germ of never-ending developments in tones and colours
—Inequality of the equinoctial points; is the want of equilibrium the motive power of the entire universe?
—The double tones of keyed instruments, the meetings by fifths, the major and minor keys, so agree with the development of colours, that a correct eye would detect errors in a piece of coloured music
—Numbers not entered upon, but develope by the same laws
—Bass notes omitted in order to simplify the scheme, 18 [Harmonies of Tones and Colours, Table of Contents2 - Harmonies]
The key-note C sounding from within itself its six tones to and fro in trinities, the tones written as notes in musical clef
—The trinities hereafter termed primaries and secondaries
—The seven of each of the twelve key notes developing their tones
—The order in which the tones meet, avoiding consecutive fifths
—Dissonance is not opposition or separation
—The use of the chasms and double tones is seen
—The isolated fourths sound the twelve notes
—Each double tone developes only one perfect major harmony, with the exception of F#-G?; F# as the key-tone sounds F? as E#, and G? as the key-tone sounds B? as C?
—The primaries of the twelve key-notes are shown to sound the same tones as the secondaries of each third harmony below, but in a different order
—All harmonies are linked into each other, . 23 [Harmonies of Tones and Colours, Table of Contents2 - Harmonies]
I add quotations from the first letter I received from him. "I have read the MS., and there are some very curious coincidences—exceedingly so—here and there. Whether it will clear out into a demonstrable system, I cannot say at present. If we can get our harmonical start, I think all will come out plainly, for there is so much that is consistent in sequence. There has been nothing at all like it at present, and some of it squares singularly with the old Greek notions." "I am more than half a disciple of your theory of the six tones, and am inclined to imagine that it would do away with much complication, and keep the mind bent on a smaller circle. We can only see things in patches, and hear in trinities, and every single sound is a trinity." [Harmonies of Tones and Colours, Dr. Gauntletts Remarks1, page 13]
There is amazing grandeur, united with simplicity, in the working of Nature's laws in the development of harmonies of sound, so that the smallest conceivable point has its complementary and corresponding gradation, which renders it capable of development into its peculiar harmony, causing the "multequivalency of harmonies" in endless variety, whether veering round, to and fro, ascending or descending, or advancing and retiring in musical clef. [Harmonies of Tones and Colours, Dr. Gauntletts Remarks1, page 13]
Here we see why music, as a science, takes the priority of painting; for if music is good, it is perfected by natural laws which cause its tones to melt into each other in the most delicate gradations, while the painter who endeavours to represent the exquisite variations of tints and lights in the living landscape is dependent entirely upon his own resources. The early writers on music were philosophers and mathematicians on the broad basis of general science, not on that of music only. Mathematicians, for the most part, have only studied the subject of musical sounds up to a certain point, and have then left it. The musician must take the chromatic scale—not as it exists in Nature, for that offered by the mathematician, without the ordinary compensations of conventional theory, is of no use to the practical musician. [Harmonies of Tones and Colours, The Method of Development or Creation of Harmonies2, page 16]
The primitive laws of any science should be capable of succinct statement, but in combination with others they become more complex and delicate, and error is proved if in the developments they do not echo each other. If, therefore, musical harmonies are correctly gained, the same laws will develope harmonies of colour, and will agree with the colours of the rainbow, the circle of which is divided by the horizon. All who are interested in the laws which regulate these two sciences will doubtless know the interesting lectures delivered by W. F. Barrett (Professor of Experimental Physics in the Royal College of Science, Dublin), and the article written by him and published in the Quarterly Journal of Science, January, 1870, entitled "Light and Sound; an examination of their reputed analogy, showing the oneness of colour and music as a physical basis." I will quote shortly from the latter for the benefit of those who may not have met with it. "The question arises, Has all this æsthetic oneness of colour and music any physical foundation, over and above the general analogy we have so far traced between light and sound? We believe the following considerations will show, not only that it has some foundation, but that the analogy is far more wonderful than has hitherto been [Harmonies of Tones and Colours, On Colours as Developed by the same Laws as Musical Harmonies1, page 18]
"Comparing wave-lengths of light with wave-lengths of sound—not, of course, their actual lengths, but the ratio of one to the other—the following remarkable correspondence at once comes out:—Assuming the note C to correspond to the colour red, then we find that D exactly corresponds to orange, E to yellow, and F to green. Blue and indigo, being difficult to localise, or even distinguish in the spectrum, they are put together; their mean exactly corresponds to the note G: violet would then correspond to the ratio given by the note A. The colours having now ceased, the ideal position of B and the upper C are calculated from the musical ratio." [Harmonies of Tones and Colours, On Colours as Developed by the same Laws as Musical Harmonies2, page 19]
The development into triplets or trinities has been especially remarked in the harmony caused by the falls of Niagara.* "A remarkable peculiarity in the Arabian system of music is the division of tones into thirds. I have heard Egyptian musicians urge against the European systems of music that they are deficient in the number of sounds. These small and delicate gradations of sound give a peculiar softness to the performances of the Arab musicians." [Harmonies of Tones and Colours, The Arabian System of Music, page 21]
The diagram begins with C, the third space of the treble clef, as being more convenient to write than C, the lowest note in the bass clef. The life of musical sounds rising from a hidden fountain of life is shown by the chasms of keyed instruments between B and C, and E and F; their great use will be strikingly manifest as the developments proceed. The fundamental key-note C and its root F rise from the chasms. B, the twelfth key-note, and E, its root, sound the octave higher of the fountain B. The generation of harmonies is by one law a simple mode of difference. Each major major key-note and its tones embrace the eighteen tones of keyed instruments which all lie in order for use. The power and extent of each are complete in itself, rising and developing, not from any inherent property in matter, but from the life communicated to matter. In the whole process of harmony there are limits, and yet it is illimitable. Its laws compel each key-note to follow certain rules within certain bounds; each separate key-note, being the fountain of its own system, has its own point of rest, and series after series rise and enlarge, or fall and diminish infinitely. [Harmonies of Tones and Colours, Diagram I - The Eighteen Tones of Keyed Instruments, page 22a]
In tracing the origin of a harmony, or family of sounds, all divisions must come out of the one, or unit. Two powers are at work—cohesion and separation; a truth continually dwelt upon by the Greek philosophers. In the diagram, the note C may be considered as central, or as placed with four tones below and two above itself. [Harmonies of Tones and Colours, Diagram II - The Twelve Keynotes1, page 23]
A key-note developing its harmony may be compared to a seed striking its root downwards, and rising upwards. On striking a note, it sounds from within itself, in a rapid and subdued manner, the six kindred tones necessary to its harmony, and all which do not belong to that individual harmony are kept under; thus all harmonies are in sevens. Each seven forms an ascending and descending series; the ear is aware of the tones, but not of the order in which they rise. [Harmonies of Tones and Colours, Diagram II - The Twelve Keynotes1, page 23]
The first trinity of sounds (hereafter called the Primaries) rise veering from left to right; the second trinity (hereafter called the Secondaries) follow, veering from right to left. The life of sound always causes a variety of movement to and fro. [Harmonies of Tones and Colours, Diagram II - The Twelve Keynotes1, page 23]
The three lowest of the six tones are complementary pairs with the key-note and its two highest tones. Observe the curious order in which the tones sound, avoiding consecutive fifths. First, we have the key-note and its root, or fellow; next A; then D and its root; and then E, whose root, A, has already sounded between the first and the second pair. B, the fourth and central tone in depth, sounds seventh, and, finding no fellow within the compass of the harmony developing it, is isolated. Observe also how closely a key-note and its kindred tones are linked into each other. The Primaries spring from the key-notes, the Secondaries from the Primaries; the first pair comprises a key-note and a tone of the Primaries, the other two pairs have each a tone of the Primaries and a tone of the Secondaries. The key-note, after giving out its tones in trinities, or [Harmonies of Tones and Colours, Diagram II - The Twelve Keynotes1, page 23]
Probably the lowest harmony which we have the power of partially hearing is A minor, rising in the lower series of seven octaves; C, its highest note, sounding the six tones of C, its major harmony, on our horizon of sound. The diagram begins with A, the second space of the treble clef, as most convenient for writing. [Harmonies of Tones and Colours, The Minor Harmonies, page 33a]
1867.—"Your plan of eliciting facts from Scripture (altogether new) interests me exceedingly." "To make out the scheme of harmonical parallel proper for the elucidation of your system, it will, if possible, run all true with the harmony of colour, and this has never yet been done, except in a way which has been met with serious objections. When I commenced the examination of your theory, I spent five days at the British Museum, and collated about forty volumes." "I am very glad to hear you have a probability of harmonising numbers by the same laws as light and sound." "What you call rest, I call the appearance and disappearance of a harmonical cycle." "Your series of fifths is quite correct." [Harmonies of Tones and Colours, Extracts from Dr. Gauntlett's Letters1, page 48]
Djwhal Khul
"The study of sound and the effect of sound will put into man's hands a tremendous instrument in the world of creation. Through the use of sound the scientist of the future will bring about his results; through sound, a new field of discovery will open up; the sound which every form in all kingdoms of nature gives forth will be studied and known and changes will be brought about and new forms developed through its medium. One hint only may I give here and that is, that the release of energy in the atom is linked to this new coming science of sound." - [Djwhal Khul]
Acoustic Cavitation
Acoustic Levitation
Cymatics
Homogenization
Lithotripsy - destroying kidney stones
Micro-surgery
Motion Detection
Music
Music Therapy
musical sound
Range Finding
Sonication
Sonochemistry
Sound Therapy
Ultrasonic Cleaning
Ultrasonic Non-Destructive Examination
Ultrasonic Non-Destructive Testing
Ultrasonic Welding
Theory of Human Vibration Response Whole Body Vibration (Ergonomics)
Hans Jenny
“The more one studies these things, the more one realizes that sound is the creative principle. It must be regarded as primordial. No single phenomenal category can be claimed as the aboriginal principle. We cannot say, in the beginning was number, or in the beginning was symmetry, etc. These are categorical properties which are implicit in what brings forth and what is brought forth. By using them in description we approach the heart of the matter. They are not themselves the creative power. This power is inherent in tone, in sound.” [Hans Jenny]
Hazrat Inayat Khan
"He who knows the secret of sound, knows the mystery of the whole universe." [Hazrat Inayat Khan]
See Also
Compression Wave
Compression Wave Velocity
Cymatics
fundamental
Interval
Loudness
Music
Music Therapy
musical sound
mysterious sound
More Science
Note
one sound contains three different sounds
Oscillation
Part 08 - What Vibration Is. - Part 1
Part 09 - What Vibration Is. - Part 2
Part 26 - Science of Sound Vibration Acoustics and Music
Sonic
Sonic Weapons
Sonism
Sonity
Sound in Vacuum
sound is a trinity
The Power of Sound
Tone
Vibration
What Vibration Is