Time and Space

In around 162o Galileo Galilei postulated that the uiverse was entirely composed in the language of maths.

Music is mathematics. Yes, it sounds scary but it`s true. If you are looking to mess with time and space simply try playing a few octave sequences.  Consider your open A string, the halfway point is at the twelfth fret and this is why intonation, the fine tuning of the string length is crucial to playing tight and true notes at higher frequencies! Basically when the string is played open it is twice the length (space) than when played at the twelfth fret, but vibrating at half the speed (time).

The open A string is resonating at 440hz and when halved at the twelfth fret will produce another A note, but vibrating at 880 hz, an octave above. Cut in 3  or played at the seventh fret it will produce E notes, and if you cut it into quarters  by fretting at the fifth you’ll be listening to a D note. To simplify 440 pockets of  air are hitting your ear per second. In this sense you might like to consider the quantum nature of what you `re doing when you pluck a guitar string. The strings hardly make any noise at all – and a sound wave is just a disturbance of the air. This may take you along the path of the Pythagorean concept of the Music of the Spheres, Johannes Kepler or even Plotinus.

In 2006, Greg Fox divided the orbital periods of the planets in half again and again until they were literally audible. The resultant piece was called “Carmen of the Spheres”. Furthermore in his book Das Universum Singt Wilfried Krüger mapped the mathematical relationships within, for example, the carbon molecule (I think) and discovered the C Ionian scale.

When you stretch that string you`re stretching your life. Just something to think about.

Comments

  1. Bonham

    Woah. About to Google Carmen of the Spheres

  2. ashish

    good article, thanks for this useful info, I have dug and stumbled this article. I will keep visiting for more useful information.

    1. Jamorama Post author

      Thanks Ashish, we completely appreciate your input – come back anytime and make a contribution…

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