5

Performance Task

The Sounds of Music

  • Explore
  • Did You Know?

Comparing Octaves

Comparing Octaves

Use a musical instrument or the Internet to listen to the same tone in different octaves. Compare and contrast their sounds. Then explain how the frequencies of the sound waves in the second octave on a piano compare to the frequencies of the sound waves in the first and third octaves. Justify your answers.

Which key on a piano is referred to as middle C? Show how you can use the information above to quickly find the frequency of a sound wave produced by middle C. Then find the frequencies of every note in the same octave as middle C.


closeup photo of a person's hands playing the piano

Did You Know?

  • Sound is the vibration of air particles, which travels to your ears from the vibration of the object making the sound. These vibrations of sound in the air are called sound waves.
  • The set of all musical notes is called the Chromatic scale. This name comes from the Greek word chrôma, meaning color. Similar to musical notes, colors are made up of different frequencies of light waves.
  • A scale is a subset of musical notes from the Chromatic scale. The choice of notes in the scale provides a framework for the creation of a piece of music. There are many different types of scales, but the seven-note major scale is the most popular in western music.

Find Out More – Search Topics

  • Musical notes
  • Chromatic scale
  • Major scale