Relationship between relative frequencies of electromagnetic spectrum and sound

In summary, one of the piano teacher's science-minded students has auditory Synethesia, where they see interactive colors while listening to music. These colors corresponded to the colors of the EM spectrum relative to pitch. The student also described emotive color theory, similar to Van Gogh's work. These concepts may be related to Stephen McGreevy's recordings of ELF electromagnetic phenomena.
  • #1
mollymoo
1
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I am a piano teacher with some very cool, science-minded students. Usually we stick to basic acoustics, and mechanics in terms of piano technique, but yesterday one of them took things in an interesting new direction. . . he described to me how, when he closes his eyes and listens to the music we are working on, in his head (I guess maybe a form of pre-phonatory tuning. . .most musicians do this as a form of rehearsal/creative doodling), he sees interactive colors. . .which as it happened correlated to the colors of the EM spectrum relative to pitch (lower pitches red up to higher in violet). Is there an established relationship? He also went on to describe emotive color theory exactly a la Van Gogh. I would really appreciate any thoughts anyone has on this. Thank you!
 
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  • #3
mollymoo said:
I am a piano teacher with some very cool, science-minded students. Usually we stick to basic acoustics, and mechanics in terms of piano technique, but yesterday one of them took things in an interesting new direction. . . he described to me how, when he closes his eyes and listens to the music we are working on, in his head (I guess maybe a form of pre-phonatory tuning. . .most musicians do this as a form of rehearsal/creative doodling), he sees interactive colors. . .which as it happened correlated to the colors of the EM spectrum relative to pitch (lower pitches red up to higher in violet). Is there an established relationship? He also went on to describe emotive color theory exactly a la Van Gogh. I would really appreciate any thoughts anyone has on this. Thank you!

Stephen McGreevy has been recording ELF (extremely low frequency) electromagnetic phenomena for years- the frequencies correspond to the audio range (20- 20k Hz):

http://www.auroralchorus.com/

Your students may get a kick out of listening to it. Note- McGreevy converts the electromagnetic signal into an audio signal: you can't hear ELF signals directly.
 

1. What is the electromagnetic spectrum and how does it relate to sound?

The electromagnetic spectrum is a range of all the different kinds of electromagnetic radiation, including radio waves, microwaves, infrared radiation, visible light, ultraviolet radiation, X-rays, and gamma rays. Sound is a form of mechanical energy that travels as waves through a medium, such as air or water. The electromagnetic spectrum and sound are related because both are forms of energy that travel in waves, but they differ in their wavelengths and frequencies.

2. How are the relative frequencies of electromagnetic spectrum and sound measured?

The relative frequencies of electromagnetic spectrum and sound are measured in Hertz (Hz), which is the number of cycles or waves per second. The electromagnetic spectrum has a much higher frequency range compared to sound. For example, the frequency of visible light ranges from 430 trillion Hz (red light) to 750 trillion Hz (violet light), while the frequency of sound ranges from 20 Hz (low-pitched sounds) to 20,000 Hz (high-pitched sounds).

3. What is the relationship between the wavelength and frequency of electromagnetic spectrum and sound?

The wavelength and frequency of electromagnetic spectrum and sound are inversely related. This means that as the wavelength increases, the frequency decreases, and vice versa. For example, radio waves have long wavelengths and low frequencies, while X-rays have short wavelengths and high frequencies. Similarly, low-pitched sounds have longer wavelengths and lower frequencies, while high-pitched sounds have shorter wavelengths and higher frequencies.

4. Can the human ear detect all frequencies of electromagnetic spectrum and sound?

No, the human ear can only detect a small range of frequencies in the sound spectrum, ranging from 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz. This is known as the audible range. Similarly, the human eye can only detect a small range of frequencies in the electromagnetic spectrum, known as visible light, which ranges from 430 trillion Hz (red light) to 750 trillion Hz (violet light). However, there are technologies that allow us to detect and measure other frequencies in both the electromagnetic spectrum and sound, such as radio telescopes and ultrasound machines.

5. How are electromagnetic spectrum and sound used in everyday life?

The electromagnetic spectrum and sound have various applications in our daily lives. Visible light is used for vision and communication through devices like TVs and computers. Infrared radiation is used for remote controls and thermal imaging. Microwaves are used for cooking and communication through devices like cell phones and Wi-Fi. X-rays are used for medical imaging. Sound is used for communication, music, and entertainment through devices like speakers and headphones. Ultrasound is used for medical imaging and cleaning. Radio waves are used for communication through devices like radios and GPS systems.

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