What is Fundamental frequency: Definition and 88 Discussions

The fundamental frequency, often referred to simply as the fundamental, is defined as the lowest frequency of a periodic waveform. In music, the fundamental is the musical pitch of a note that is perceived as the lowest partial present. In terms of a superposition of sinusoids, the fundamental frequency is the lowest frequency sinusoidal in the sum of harmonically related frequencies, or the frequency of the difference between adjacent frequencies. In some contexts, the fundamental is usually abbreviated as f0, indicating the lowest frequency counting from zero. In other contexts, it is more common to abbreviate it as f1, the first harmonic. (The second harmonic is then f2 = 2⋅f1, etc. In this context, the zeroth harmonic would be 0 Hz.)
According to Benward's and Saker's Music: In Theory and Practice:
Since the fundamental is the lowest frequency and is also perceived as the loudest, the ear identifies it as the specific pitch of the musical tone [harmonic spectrum].... The individual partials are not heard separately but are blended together by the ear into a single tone.

View More On Wikipedia.org
Recent contents Top users
  1. T

    Fundamental frequency and temperature

    1. Balboa Park in San Diego has an outdoor organ. When the air temperature increases, the fundamental frequency of one of the organ pipes _____. a) goes down b) stays the same c) goes up d) is impossible to determine 2. v=331sqrt(1+t/273)/ 3. goes up?)
  2. R

    How Does Motion Affect Sound Frequency and Wavelength Calculation?

    Fundamental frequency! 1. Ultrasound with a frequency of 4.079 MHz can be used to produce images of the human body.If the speed of sound in the body is the same (1.97 km/s) as in salt water, what is the wavelength in the body? Answer in units of m. and 2. On a day when the wind is...
  3. K

    Fundamental frequency and tension

    Homework Statement A guitar string has a fundamental frequency of 429 Hz when its tension is 259 N. The string is being tuned to a fundamental frequency of 388 Hz. What is the required tension? Homework Equations v = sqrt(T/u): where v is the speed, T is the tension and u is the...
  4. J

    The Fundamental frequency of an open organ pipe

    Homework Statement The fundamental frequency of an open organ pipe corresponds to the note middle C (f = 261.6 Hz on the chromatic musical scale). The third harmonic (f3) of another organ pipe that is closed at one end has the same frequency. Compare the lengths of these two pipes...
  5. R

    Tension and fundamental frequency

    Homework Statement A particular violin string plays at a fundamental frequency of 294Hz. If the tension is increased 15%, what will be the new fundamental frequency? Homework Equations f=v/2L v=sqrt(T/(m/L)) The Attempt at a Solution 294 = sqrt(T/(m/L))/2L so...
  6. S

    Tripling fundamental frequency

    So the question goes like this- The fundamental frequency of a bass violin string is 1045 Hz and occurs when the string is 0.900 m long. How far from the lower fixed end of the bass violin should you place your fingers to allow the string to vibrate at a fundamental frequency 3 times as great...
  7. F

    Find Fundamental Frequency of Vibrating Mylar Membrane

    Alright I've been going crazy with this problem. I'm building an electrostatic loudspeaker. In order to get it right I need to find the Fundamental frequency of the vibrating membrane. This membrane will be of an elastic substance, Mylar. Approx. 5 microns think with a young's modulus of about...
  8. T

    What is the speed of sound and tension in a vibrating harpsichord string?

    Homework Statement A harpsichord string of length 1.60 m and linear mass density 25.0 mg/m vibrates at a (fundamental) frequency of 450.0 Hz. (a) What is the speed of the transverse string waves? (b) What is the tension? (c) What are the wavelength and frequency of the sound wave in air...
  9. R

    Fundamental Frequency of nylon string

    Fundamental Frequency! [SOLVED] A nylon string is stretched between fixed supports 0.75m apart. Experimental plucking of the string shows that several standing waves can exist on the string. Two such standing waves have frequencies of 225Hz and 300Hz with no other frequencies in between. Q1...
  10. B

    Fundamental frequency and changes to it

    Homework Statement A stretched wire vibrates in its fundamental mode at a frequency of 384 Hz. What would be the fundamental frequency if the wire were half as long, its diameter were doubled, and its tension were increased five-fold? Homework Equations F=...
  11. J

    Fundamental frequency / sound waves

    1.Calculate the fundamental frequency of a steel rod of length 2.00 m. What is the next possible standing wave frequency of this rod? Where should the rod be clamped to excite a standing wave of this frequency? first, i used the formula velocity of sound in the rod v=sqrt(Y/p) where...
  12. V

    Fundamental Frequency of Open and Closed Tube

    Homework Statement A tube closed at one end and open at the other has a fundamental frequency of 242 Hz. What is the fundamental whenboth are open? Homework Equations f (open and closed) = v/4L f (open) = v/2L v sound = 343 m/s The Attempt at a Solution f1 (open and closed) =...
  13. M

    What is the fundamental frequency of the string?

    One of the harmonics on a string 1.4 meters long has a frequency of 18.4 Hz. The next higher harmonic frequency is 23.9 Hz. (a) What is the fundamental frequency of the string? f1 = Hz * 5.5 OK (b) What is the speed of the waves on the string? v = m/sec the...
  14. J

    Fundamental frequency and higher harmonics

    Could someone validate if this is correct? for waves with antinode/antinode or node/node ends if the fundamental frequency is f1 then f2 = 2f1, second harmonic and f3 = 3f1, third harmonic but for waves with antinode'/node or node/antinodes at the ends then if fundamental frequency is...
  15. R

    Fundamental frequency of a guitar string

    1. The problem is: A guitar string is 78 cm long and has a mass of 3.6 g. The distance from the bridge to the support post is L = 60 cm, and the string is under a tension of 505 N. What is the frequency of the fundamental? I don't get why it gives me two distances. Which one is L? 2. The...
  16. N

    Fundamental frequency of violin string

    Homework Statement A vibrating string on a violin is 330 mm long and has a fundamental frequency of 659 Hz. What is its fundamental frequency when the string is pressed against the fingerboard at a point 60 mm from its end? *The answer is 805 Hz Homework Equations f = \overline{}nv/2L...
  17. N

    Fundamental Frequency of a string

    Homework Statement The length of a string is 1440 cm. The string is held fixed at each end. The string vibrates in eight sections; i.e., the string has eight antinodes, and the string vibrates at 150 Hz. What is the fundamental frequency? Answer in units of Hz.Homework Equations f = nv / 2L...
  18. H

    Fundamental frequency

    Homework Statement A stretched wire vibrates in its fundamental mode at a frequency of 400Hz. What would be the fundamental frequency if the wire were half as long, with twice the diameter and with four times the tension? Homework Equations fn = nV / 2L where n is the harmonics...
  19. F

    Fundamental Frequency of an organ

    Homework Statement An open organ pipe (i.e., a pipe open at both ends) of length L0 has a fundamental frequency f0. Part A If the organ pipe is cut in half, what is the new fundamental frequency? 4f0 2f0 f0 f0 f0 Part B Part C This part will be visible after you complete...
  20. Y

    Organ Pipe and Fundamental Frequency

    Homework Statement The organ pipe is 2.0 m long, was open at both ends, and was originally tuned to a fundamental frequency of 128 Hz (C below middle C). a) what is the wavelength of the fundamental? b)if the note you now hear is closer to 262 Hz (middle C), where is the blockage with...
  21. P

    Wavelength and Fundamental Frequency of Standing Wave on 2m String

    A standing wave resonates at 400 Hz with three antinodes on a string tied tightly between two posts 2.0 meters apart. What is the wavelength of this standing wave? What is the fundamental frequency of this string? I tried to draw the picture out, and it looks like the wavelength is just...
  22. J

    Finding the Fundamental Frequency and Length of an Open Pipe at 20°C

    My question goes as follows: An open pipe in air is designed to produced 2 successive harmonics at 235 Hz and 275 Hz at 20 degrees Celsius. What is the fundamental frequency? What is the length of the pipe (m)? I'm not sure how to solve this problem, as I can't find the equation to...
  23. J

    Fundamental Frequency and Pipe Length Calculation for Open Pipes

    My question goes as follows: An open pipe in air is designed to produced 2 successive harmonics at 235 Hz and 275 Hz at 20 degrees Celsius. What is the fundamental frequency? What is the length of the pipe (m)? I'm not sure how to solve this problem, as I can't find the equation to...
  24. B

    Fundamental frequency and tension of a guitar string

    Homework Statement In order to decrease the fundamental frequency of a guitar string by 4%, by what percentage should you reduce the tension? Homework Equations f = sqrt [T/(m/L)] / 2L I believe that is the equation that relates frequency to tension... The Attempt at a Solution...
  25. N

    Fundamental Frequency of a String

    Homework Statement A string with a length of 2.5m has two adjacent resonances at frequencies 112 Hz and 140 Hz. Determine the fundamental frequency of the string? A. 14 Hz B. 28 Hz C. 42 Hz D. 56...
  26. S

    Average Power for Frequency < Fundamental Frequency: An Analysis

    We have a periodic signal of period 10 ms and amplitude 2.The signal is a rectangular pulse from -5/2 to 5/2 and 0 from 5/2 to 19/2.This signals fundamental frequency(f0) is 100Hz.It is passed through a filter whose response is 1/(1+jf/f0.I calculated the average power using the trignometric...
  27. E

    Harmonics and fundamental frequency questions

    I'm having a bit of a difficulty trying to determine the fundamental frequency in a given function and the harmonics. In the equation below,would the fundamental frequention be 1 (corresponding to the value cos(1x-pi)) and the harmonics amplitude 3 and -4?Also,the values of the frequency of the...
  28. M

    Power at fundamental frequency

    Hi all, reading an article I've encountered the concept of power at the fundamental frequency, google didn't help me. Could you please give to me any hint about this problem? It is at least one week I'm dealing to understand what the "fundamental power" is! there is a kind of wave, express as...
  29. E

    Change in Tension &amp; Fundamental Frequency of a String

    [SOLVED] Change in Tension &amp; Fundamental Frequency of a String Problem. Show that if the tension in a streched string is change by a small amount \Delta F_T, the frequency of the fundamental is changed by a small amount \Delta f = 1/2 (\Delta F_T / F_T) f. Let T be the intial tension and h...
  30. R

    Fundamental Frequency of the earth's crust

    Here's one for you. Is there a way of working out what the fundamental frequency of the Earth's crust is? Has anybody done this. And what would happen if we somehow matched this frequency, say by all dancing to a particularly banging dance remix of Electric Light Orchestra's "Mr Blue Sky" all at...
  31. K

    Fundamental frequency question

    I do not understand what is meant in this question: An open organ pipe has a fundamental frequency of 430 Hz. A closed organ pipe has a fundamental frequency that is the second harmonic of the open organ pipe. What are the lengths of the two pipes? Does the bolded part mean that the...
  32. E

    Fundamental frequency of a guitar string?

    Question: One of the 63.5-cm-long strings of an ordinary guitar is tuned to produce the note {\rm B_3} (frequency 245 Hz) when vibrating in its fundamental mode. 1. If the tension in this string is increased by 1.0%, what will be the new fundamental frequency of the string? The first part of...
  33. A

    Fundamental Frequency of Helium-Filled Pipe

    A certain pipe produces a fundamental frequency f in air. If the pipe is filled with helium at the same temperature, what fundamental frequency does it produce? (Take the molar mass of air to be M_air, and the molar mass of helium to be M_He). The ratio γ of heat capacities for air (7/5) and...
  34. H

    Fundamental Frequency and Musical Harmonics

    Ok, I was given a question in homework and was never told the right answer. If the Fundamental Frequency = 15Hz, the 3rd Harmonic = ? I estimated it at 45Hz because of an example The example was; Harm 1 = 100 x 1 = 100Hz Harm 2 = 100 x 2 = 200Hz Harm 3 = 100 x 3 = 300Hz If so...
  35. K

    Harmonics are integer multiples of a fundamental frequency

    I understand that harmonics are integer multiples of a fundamental frequency. Also, that the relative strengths of the harmonics are what make the same note on different instruments sound different. Why are these other frequencies made? How many integer multiples are there? Why do our...
  36. S

    How Do String Length and Tension Affect Vibration Frequency and Wave Patterns?

    A horizontal string of length 1.5 m vibrates with a wave velocity of 1320 m/s at its fundamental freq. a. What is the fund. freq.? Do I use the formula f_1 = v/4L? b. What is the freq. of the 4th overtone and how many nodes and antinodes will it have? To find 4th's freq. use f_n =...
  37. S

    What is the Fundamental Frequency?

    Which of the following could be the fundamental freq. for a vibration that has an overtone freq. of 990 Hz? a. 330 b. 660 c. 148 d. 1980 e. 1990 (All in Hz.) The formula that I think you have to use is f_n = n*f_1, where f_1 is fud. freq. Then, I thought f_2 = 2*f_1, where f_2...
  38. P

    Help with Fundamental Frequency problem

    In order to decrease the fundamental frequency of a guitar string by 2%, by what percentage should you reduce the tension? I'm so lost can you point me in the right direction?
Back
Top