I) Acoustics and sound
        A) Pitch
                -Started with Pythagoras and his hammers <500 B.C. as an expression of ratios and then moved to strings. 2:1 = an octave. etc.
                -The scientific description of rate of vibrations. One complete vibration is a cycle.
                -frequency = cycles per second. A=440 is standard for western tuning. Physical properties
                -human ear can detect 20-20K cycles per second!
                -higher frequency = higher pitch - 880, 1760 etc. are octaves above.
                -string is a good example of wavelength, also: bottle, vocal chords, room, anything which can resonate.
                -Sine wave is a perfect wave along a length, e.g. of a piano string
                -Every tone is made of partials [1/8/, 1/4, 1/2 length] and overtones [8ve, 5th, 15ve, 3rd] which make up the timbre or nature of the sound. A flute is very pure, whereas violins have many partials and overtones which 'color' the sound.
                -Volume is a factor of amplitude.
        drawing of sine wave:
 
 
 
 
 

B) Review of Ear pic 1, pic 2, pic 3
               -vibrations are collected by the auricle or pinna
                -travels down the tube to the tympanum or  eardrum
                -tympanum is in contact with the three ossicles : malleus [hammer], incus [anvil] and stapes [stirrup].
                -These communicate with the cochlea, a snail-like structure which is in ennervated by Cranial Nerves:

• V [mandibular],
• the Vestibulocochlear nerve [VIII] and
• Vagus [X].

These are part of the autonomic nervous system, meaning they are always monitoring the outside world. Vagus is very important Cranial Nerve. It also ennervates the gastric and cardiac systems.
                -Interpretive activity goes on in the temporal lobe of the brain.
 

terms:
        sine wave - basic tone which has a wavelength and nodes
        node - spot on wave where it passes the Ò0Ó
        frequency - # of cycles per second of a sound wave
        overtone - a resonant partial of any sound
        pitch - frequency of fundamental tone
        partial - a constituent part of and unpure tone
        octave - 12 scale degrees above or below = Ôsame note different placeÕ
        cycle - one complete path of a wave
        resonation - the transmission of a wave through material
        auricle, pinna - external collector of sound
        tympanic membrane or tympanum - eardrum
        ossicles: malleus, incus and stapes - three bones of ear which transmit information
        Facial, Vestibulocochlear and Vagus nerves [Cranial nerves V,VIII & X] - nerves which go to brain with sound info.
        meatus - hole in the head
        Cochlea - snail-like hearing structure which ÔinterpretsÕ vibration.