{"id":9812,"date":"2023-04-25T23:10:44","date_gmt":"2023-04-26T03:10:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/audioapartment.com\/?p=9812"},"modified":"2023-05-25T09:47:46","modified_gmt":"2023-05-25T13:47:46","slug":"what-are-harmonics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/audioapartment.com\/techniques-and-performance\/what-are-harmonics\/","title":{"rendered":"What Are Harmonics? Exploring the Essence of Harmonic Frequencies"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

If you’ve ever wondered about harmonics in audio<\/strong>, then you’ve come to the right place. We’ll dive into the fascinating world of harmonics, exploring how they affect sound quality, music production, and audio engineering. We’ll also help you understand the science behind them, from harmonic frequencies and distortion to overtones and waveform analysis. So let’s strike a chord and get harmonic because understanding harmonics in audio is music to our ears!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are harmonics in audio?<\/strong> Harmonics are the higher frequency components of a sound that occur in integer multiples of the fundamental frequency, enriching the overall sound quality and character.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are harmonics?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Harmonics refers to sound waves that are related to a fundamental frequency or pitch as integer multiples. The fundamental pitch is the lowest frequency that can be produced from a sound. In music, harmonics are used on string and wind instruments to produce sound, particularly for playing higher notes and obtaining notes with a unique tone color. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Harmonic
Harmonic series on a string. Source: wiki commons<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The balance of the harmonic overtones of the note you play depends on the instrument and the way you play it, affecting the distribution and balance of the partials or harmonic overtones of the sound. These harmonic overtones are responsible for allowing us to recognize different sounds and instruments<\/strong>, even when they are playing the same note.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How are harmonics and timbre related?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The relationship between harmonics and timbre lies in the fact that the harmonic content of a sound determines its unique timbre, allowing our ears to distinguish between different instruments playing at the same pitch and loudness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The timbre of an instrument is influenced by the relative strengths of the harmonics in each note. Adding harmonics to a tone gives it a richer timbre, making it more distinctive and recognizable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Theories, such as Helmhotz’s proposition, suggest that the timbre of a sound affects consonance and dissonance through the interaction of the individual partials<\/strong> (harmonics) of notes, with beat frequencies between these partials causing dissonance, and the coincidence of partials resulting in consonance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to use harmonics in your music<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

To use harmonics in your music<\/strong>, you can employ the following techniques:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Sound design<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Understand that harmonics are the foundation of the timbre of all sounds. Utilize this knowledge for sound design by using your DAW’s built-in EQ<\/a> to boost the fundamental frequency or cut higher harmonics to make an instrument sound more ‘sine-like.’<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Use planing to create solo lines, where chords become the melody. Experiment with the rhythm and the shape of the line to make your solo more interesting. <\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

2. Prolong harmonic functions<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Incorporate other chords from the same family to prolong the harmonic functions, reinforcing the tonal center. For example, you can play an I – vi – V – I progression instead of an I – V – I, where adding the vi prolongs the tonic function.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Harmonic planing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Use planing to create solo lines, where chords become the melody. Experiment with the rhythm and the shape of the line to make your solo more interesting. This technique can involve both diatonic and chromatic planning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Harmonic analysis<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Write Roman numerals underneath the chords of your favorite songs to understand their harmonic relationships. This process, called harmonic analysis, can help you see the relationships between chords and inspire your own compositions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. Harmonic distortion<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Introduce harmonic distortion<\/a> to add new harmonics that are musically related to the input signal. This can change the character and timbre of the sound, often resulting in a richer and more charismatic tone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want even more tips and insights, watch this video called “I Make a Song With Only Harmonics”<\/em> from the Ichika Nito YouTube channel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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