You hear sound every day. More than likely you are hearing something right now. But how does it work? The study of sound is a fascinating science. This instructable is designed to give you a basic understanding of how sound works. This instructable is more of a how it works as opposed to a how to. Once you understand how it works, it is much easier to learn the how to.
Please note that I am constructing this from a sound engineer's point of view. Most of the content is theory, so please keep that in mind when you read this.
Also, this is my first instructable, so please don't be too harsh. :)
Remove these ads by
Signing UpStep 1: What sound is/air movement
Sound travels in waves. Almost all sounds can be created from, or reduced to a sine wave. You can see a very deep sine wave in the picture.
Sound is the movement of air. When you hear something, parts of your ear are vibrating. When you speak, your voice causes air to move, which causes parts in your ear and other people's ears to vibrate. Most microphones work in a similar way to the human ear. When sound travels across the diaphragm, it causes it to vibrate, and then convert into electricity (signal). A speaker works in the opposite way. When a speaker receives signal (electricity), it causes parts of the speaker to move back and forth which causes air to move. This way, it allows you to hear the sound.
Sound is the movement of air. When you hear something, parts of your ear are vibrating. When you speak, your voice causes air to move, which causes parts in your ear and other people's ears to vibrate. Most microphones work in a similar way to the human ear. When sound travels across the diaphragm, it causes it to vibrate, and then convert into electricity (signal). A speaker works in the opposite way. When a speaker receives signal (electricity), it causes parts of the speaker to move back and forth which causes air to move. This way, it allows you to hear the sound.
Visit Our Store »
Go Pro Today »
Thanks in advance
I might not have understood what I was asking with disruption. If you had the ability to condense 10 years of experience on the topic into an instructable it would be great to see o_O
Any tips on how to reverse phase sound when it hits a surface? Something along the lines of 'the principles of egg crate foam'? Not sure if what I'm asking is paragraph or a dissertation ;)
Basically, depending on the texture of a surface, the sound will react differently when it hits it. Generally, the smoother the surface, the more the sound will "slap" it, which causes it to vibrate that surface which is why you can hear things through walls, but it sounds muffled. It also reverberates back towards the source of the sound at a slightly reduced pressure. The more pitted a surface is, the more the sound is broken up and absorbed.
That's the concept in a brief nutshell... I am thinking about how to write my next 'ible... I'll be sure to let you know when it's done. It may take awhile! ;)
Thanks for the encouragement!
Thanks for the follow ups, I look forward to the next instalment.
For someone like me (no real understanding of the principles of sound) this is a good overview. Just when I started to get into it, it stops. If you did have any more information like this it would be appreciated.
(In particular, cancelling sound waves, dissipation, disruption etc. ;)
Again, thanks!
There are two that I think you might be interested in the first one:
http://www.instructables.com/id/The-Concept-Of-Sound-Pressure-SPL/
This deals with dissipation.
The second one is:
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-phase-your-speakers/
This is the basics of phasing. What you put as canceling sound waves is basically a reversed phase. When you have two sound waves hit each other, if one is the inversed phase of the other and each has the same pressure and volume, then they will cancel each other out. This is how noise canceling earphones work.
Disruption is not something that is easy for me to cover online... It took me over 10 years to be able to visualize how sound interacts with a room. I can post the basics, maybe I can do a video, but I will start thinking about how I could make an instructable on that. If you want, I can PM you a link if/when I make an instructable on that.
Thanks again for letting me know you liked this... I really appreciate out! :)
It says: "© Copyright 2011iPad Wallpaper all rights reserved - Design by Thomas Beal"
My copyright step specifically states that I do not claim copyright to the images, but as far as I can find I have the right to use them. The copyright that you are referencing actually applies to the web site, not the image. I do not claim that I made the image, however, all the images that I download, I download from stock image sites that I pay for. That is why I say that if there is any question about whether or not I have the right to use the images to please contact me. Again, I see not copyright on the image... although I do see a company name on it, but I see nothing about not having the right to use the images.