Is there even a scientific reason for this

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the phenomenon of sound resonance experienced by a participant while humming in a tiled bathroom. The inquiry seeks to understand the scientific reasons behind the significant echo at a specific pitch and the concept of resonance in relation to room acoustics.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • One participant suggests that the observed phenomenon may be related to resonance.
  • Another participant expresses confusion about the concept of resonance and requests a more detailed explanation.
  • A participant confirms that the original poster likely encountered one of the resonance frequencies of the room, referencing room modes.
  • Another participant shares a personal experience of exploring standing waves in a room with fixed-frequency outputs from a stereo, noting the dramatic differences in sound intensity at various locations.
  • Discussion includes mention of acoustic treatments and electronic equalization as methods to manage room acoustics, emphasizing that passive treatments can improve sound quality across the entire room rather than just at specific points.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree that the phenomenon is related to resonance frequencies, but there is no consensus on the specifics of how to manage or utilize these effects in different environments.

Contextual Notes

Some participants reference external sources, such as a Wikipedia article on room modes and a book on musical acoustics, but these are not universally accepted as definitive explanations within the discussion.

Who May Find This Useful

Individuals interested in acoustics, sound engineering, or those curious about the effects of room design on sound quality may find this discussion relevant.

kay
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So this is what happened. the thing is that wherever i go i hum. So i was in the bathroom that day and it was as usual tiled everywhere. So when I started to hum, it echoed. Nothing special about it. But as i raised my pitch, there was a pitch at which my humming sound echoed ENORMOUSLY. And there was no other pitch at which it echoed SO MUCH. Is there any scientific reason for this?
( I don't know which subject this question pertained to. So I just chose classical physics. Sorry about that. )
 
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Borg said:
Resonance perhaps?
Dude I have no idea what it is.. Please be a bit more explicit?
 
kay said:
Dude I have no idea what it is.. Please be a bit more explicit?
Try clicking the link to the Wikipedia article.
 
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jh0 said:
Yes, it seems you have found one of the resonance frequencies of the room!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Room_modes

We used to do this in our dorm room with my roommate's stereo. It had some kind of fixed-frequency output from the stereo amplifier (speaker check?) that we would turn on. The neat thing was that it produced standing waves in the room. You could walk around the room, and find nodes and antinodes. The OP might try having a friend (it must be a good, nerdy, non-judgemental friend, one who will not think the request to be strange... :) ) walk around the room to see if there is this kind of structure. I remember that the difference between loud and soft was very dramatic.

Benade's book: "Fundamentals of Musical Acoustics" talks some about these kinds of effect. [It is an inexpensive Dover paperback] Arthur Benade was a nuclear physicist at Case Western who switched his research area to musical acoustics.
 
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jh0 said:
Yes, it seems you have found one of the resonance frequencies of the room!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Room_modes
After reading your reply to my question,
Man. I suddenly feel so special. Thanks a lot. :D
 
kay said:
After reading your reply to my question,
Man. I suddenly feel so special. Thanks a lot. :D

Your rooms response is something people who like good music reproduction spend a lot of time and money on things like acoustic treatments not to have. :D
You can use electronic EQ (effective for reducing peaks but not other room mode effects) but designing and/or adding passive treatments to a room with the correct physical properties improves sound at all locations not just a narrow location near the measurement device.
 
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nsaspook said:
Your rooms response is something people who like good music reproduction spend a lot of time and money on things like acoustic treatments not to have. :D
You can use electronic EQ (effective for reducing peaks but not other room mode effects) but designing and/or adding passive treatments to a room with the correct physical properties improves sound at all locations not just a narrow location near the measurement device.
No problems. :3
I have other rooms to make music in. xD
 

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