What note and frequency was used to shatter the glass on Mythbusters?

[zoobyshoe]

I just saw an episode of Mythbusters where a guy succeeded in shattering a crystal glass with his unamplified voice.

This guy tried on about twenty different glasses held directly in front of his mouth. Finally one shattered.
They had him clocked at 550hz at 105 decibels when it finally worked.

They believe this is the first time this has ever been filmed, and is confirmation of the longstanding rumors.

 

[yourdadonapogostick]

old episode

 

[Ivan Seeking]

I just saw an episode of Mythbusters where a guy succeeded in shattering a crystal glass with his unamplified voice.

How did they pick the frequency [note].

 

[yourdadonapogostick]

the fundamental of the glass

 

[Chronos]

They 'rang' the glass and used a frequency analyzer to plot the audio spectrum. Peaks in the audio spectrum give the resonant frequencies.

 

[pete worthington]

I just saw an episode of MythbustersThey believe this is the first time this has ever been filmed, and is confirmation of the longstanding rumors.

How about the Memorex audiotape commercials from the 70's and early 80's. There was a rather large female opera singer next to a piano. They had her live and recorded voice break the glass. was this a sham?

 

[Jameson]

Do you guys like that show? Today I watched a 30 minute segment on cooling beer the fastest. Interesting stuff.

Just so you know, the best way is with ice, water, and salt :)

 

[Janus]

How about the Memorex audiotape commercials from the 70's and early 80's. There was a rather large female opera singer next to a piano. They had her live and recorded voice break the glass. was this a sham?

The singer in the comercial had her voice run through an amplifier. The trick here was it was done with no amplification at all, just the singer's raw voice.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

That was Ella Fitzgerald
http://www.ellafitzgerald.com/about/viewheadline.php?id=3038

 

[zoobyshoe]

How did they pick the frequency [note].

He "rang" the glass, and got as close as he could by ear. He also had a straw standing inside each glass, and the closer he got to the resonant frequency, the more the straw was vibrated around in the glass.

Getting the note wasn't nearly as hard as getting the amplitude. As Janus mentioned, shattering a glass can be done pretty easily with an amplified voice. The noteworthy thing here is that this proves someone could have done it before amplifier systems were invented, i.e.: an opera singer in the 1800s. All the first versions I ever heard of this story attributed this ability to one opera singer or another, (or to any opera singer who was good enough).

 

[Ivan Seeking]

I read that in spite of his standing claim, after his death Caruso's wife admitted that he had never done this.

 

[zoobyshoe]

I read that in spite of his standing claim, after his death Caruso's wife admitted that he had never done this.

All I can say is that they have proven it is not a physical impossibility.

Of note is the fact the guy had to hold the glass an inch from his mouth. Whoever originally discovered this ability probably did so by accident, singing impromptu while drinking wine.

One of the mythbuster guys tried it himself and mentioned how dangerous it seemed to be trying to shatter a glass an inch from his face. It could be a lot of people don't have he guts to really give it their all, and end up pulling their punches.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Do you guys like that show? Today I watched a 30 minute segment on cooling beer the fastest. Interesting stuff.

Just so you know, the best way is with ice, water, and salt :)

Known well to all home made ice cream connoisseurs.

 

[Kakarot]

Do you guys like that show? Today I watched a 30 minute segment on cooling beer the fastest. Interesting stuff.

Just so you know, the best way is with ice, water, and salt :)

yea mythbusters is the best show on tv

 

[Curious3141]

Right now, I can do something far more impressive : I can shatter my tonsils with my voice. I have mono. :(

 

[zoobyshoe]

Right now, I can do something far more impressive : I can shatter my tonsils with my voice. I have mono. :(

Have you experienced any micropsia with that?

 

[Curious3141]

Have you experienced any micropsia with that?

No. No perceptual deficits (nothing remotely "Alice in Wonderland" or Lilliputian).

 

[Rayne]

tangent

Has anyone ever heard rumors of Eastern Monks throwing needles through inch thick glass?


I always wondered if that was true, seemed impossible...

 

[yourdadonapogostick]

how is that tangent to the conversation?

 

[hypatia]

For anyone who may want to know, the note they sing is F{above middle C}.

 

[Rayne]

well its more of a hijack but I am not sure the question needs its own thread...it does involve glass though

 

[zoobyshoe]

Has anyone ever heard rumors of Eastern Monks throwing needles through inch thick glass?

I don't think it's off topic.

However, I haven't ever heard of it. I have heard of them doing all kinds of other equally amazing things: levitating objects by sound, sitting on lake ice with a wet blanket wrapped around them till their body heat dries the blanket out, that kind of thing. I have no idea if these stories are true.

 

[motai]

For anyone who may want to know, the note they sing is F{above middle C}.

Interesting. Do you know how many octaves above middle C this note is located? And also, which key is it in? B flat? A? F?

edit: Nevermind, judging from the first post, the note was at 550 hz. That would place it as... C sharp (554.36 Hz) if it were tuned to A (440 hz). Hmm.. was that note F? F tunes at 698.45 Hz.