Sound and Its Phenomena |
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Common terms and phrases
acoustic acoustic nerve animals apparatus bass bell birds body breath called Canon catgut cause cavity chord clarinet cochlea column of air compass condensed diatonic scale direct sound distance drum duced echo edge elastic embouchure epiglottis Eustachian Eustachian tube external air feeble feet fifth finger flageolet flat flute force fundamental note glottis harmonic harp hautboy hear heard human voice increase inner ear instru interval keys larynx length lips loud louder membrane ments metal middle ear monochord motion mouth mouth-hole musical instruments noise number of vibrations octave organ organ-pipe orifice piano pianoforte pipe pitch produced rarefied reeds render resonance Savart scale Sect semitone sharp shock sound-rays sound-waves sounding-board square stretched String stringed instruments struck strument surface tain third tion tone tongue tonic treble trombone trumpet tube tuned tuning-fork tympanum unison violin violoncello vocal cords vocal ligaments voice walls weight whistle wind instruments windpipe wire
Popular passages
Page 119 - ... and when two facts, naturally unconnected, have been accidentally coincident, it is not singular that this coincidence should have been observed and registered, and that omens of the most absurd kind should be trusted in. In the west of England, half a century ago, a particular hollow noise on the sea-coast was referred to a spirit or goblin called Bucca, and was supposed to foretell a shipwreck...
Page 150 - In the cathedral of Girgenti, in Sicily, the slightest whisper is borne with perfect distinctness from the great western door to the cornice behind the high altar, a distance of 250 feet. By a most unlucky coincidence, the precise focus of divergence at the former station was chosen for the place of the confessional.
Page 119 - Bucca, and was supposed to foretell a shipwreck : the philosopher knows that sound travels much faster than currents in the air, and the sound always foretold the approach of a very heavy storm, which seldom takes place on that wild and rocky coast, without a shipwreck on some part of its extensive shores, surrounded by the Atlantic.
Page 147 - It happened once on board a ship sailing along the coast of Brazil, 100 miles from land, that the persons walking on deck, when passing a particular spot, heard most distinctly the sounds of bells, varying as in human rejoicings. All on board listened and were convinced; but the phenomenon was mysterious and inexplicable.
Page 26 - ... dependent upon the laws of physics governing the vibrations of tense strings. Sounds differ from each other in three essential particulars: 1st, in pitch, that is, in gravity or acuteness ; 2d, in loudness or intensity ; and 3d, in timbre or quality of tone. The pitch of the sound always depends upon the number of vibrations communicated to the air in a given time. Rapid vibrations produce sharp, shrill sounds ; slower vibrations, those which are more grave. The low C of a piano gives a deep...
Page 147 - Months afterwards it was ascertained, that at the time of observation the bells of the city of St. Salvador, on the Brazilian coast, had been ringing on the occasion of a festival: their...
Page 158 - I to any simple air played on a bugle. + " There was formerly, according to the authority of Dr. Birch, an harmonic echo no less remarkable, seventeen miles above Glasgow, near a mansion called Rosneath. If a trumpeter played eight or ten notes, the echo would repeat them correctly a third lower. After a short silence another repetition was heard, still lower than the former ; and after a similar pause the same notes were repeated a third time, in a lower key and feebler tone, but nevertheless, with...
Page 160 - ... opposite the door by which visitors enter, several yards of the seat are covered with matting, on which the visitor being seated, the man who shows the gallery whispers, with the mouth near the wall, at the distance of 140 feet from the visitor, who hears his words in a loud voice, seemingly at his ear. The mere shutting of the door produces a sound like a peal of thunder rolling among the mountains.
Page 161 - ... disposed the concavity of the cupola in such a manner, that any noise from below is followed with a very loud and long double echo. Two persons whispering, and standing opposite to each other, with their faces near the wall, can converse together without being overheard by the company between. This arises from the elliptical form of the cupola, each person being placed in the focus of the ellipsis.