Reference Guide

824 Editing audio
Digital audio fundamentals
of course; the laws of physics are not quite so simple. In fact, the string vibrates not only at its entire
length, but at one-half its length, one-third, one-fourth, one-fifth, and so on. These additional
vibrations (overtones) occur at a rate faster than the rate of the original vibration (the fundamental
frequency), but are usually weaker in strength. Our ear doesn't hear each frequency of vibration
individually, however. If it if did, we would hear a multinote chord every time a single string were
played. Rather, all these vibrations are added together to form a complex or composite sound that
our ear perceives as a single tone.
This composite waveform still doesn't account for the uniqueness of the sound of different
instruments. For example, stringed instruments usually have a resonator. In the case of the guitar,
the resonator is the big block of hollow wood to which the string is attached (the guitar body). This
has a major impact on the sound we perceive when a guitar is played because it enhances or
amplifies some of the vibrations produced by the string and diminishes or attenuates others. The
ultimate effect of all the vibrations occurring simultaneously, being altered by the resonator, adds up
to the sound we know as guitar.
See:
“Digital audio fundamentals” on page 822
Fundamental
frequency (1f)
100% amplitude
2x fundamental (2f)
50% amplitude
3x fundamental (3f)
33% amplitude
4x fundamental (4f)
25% amplitude
5x fundamental (5f)
20% amplitude