cycles and beats

[Tom Myler]

----------
> From: Richard Moody <remoody@easnetsd.com>
> To: pianotech@byu.edu
> Subject: Re: cycles and beats
> Date: Thursday, February 06, 1997 1:15 PM
>
> Cycles per second equal the frequency of the musical sound.  .
sometimes
> noted as Hz
> beats per second equal the difference between two frequencies.
>
> F = 440
> f =  442
> Beats  =  2 per second.
>
>
> Richard Moody
>
> ----------
> > From: BILL &PAT HOPKINS <cyberpod@esslink.com>
> > To: pianotech@byu.edu
> > Subject: cycles and beats
> > Date: Thursday, February 06, 1997 12:31 PM
> >
> > Are cycles per second and beats per second the same thing?
> > Please explain.  Thanks
> >
> > Cyberpod@esslink.com


Taking Richard's example one step further:

If you sound two unequal frequencies at the same time,  you will hear the
average of the two frequencies, with a beat rate equal to the difference
between them.

For example, if F= 440 Hz, and f = 442 Hz, and you play them
simultaneously, you will hear a tone of 441 Hz pulsing at two beats per
second.

Source: John Backus, The Acoustical Foundations of Music, 2nd edition, p.51
"waves and propagation".


Myler, Tom

"It's what you learn AFTER you know it all that counts"