The scientific class-book, or A familiar introduction to the principles of physical science Volume 1 ; for the use of schools and academies - Softcover

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1836 Excerpt: ... and availed themselves of their knowledge in order to facilitate the propagation of sound through their theatres. The method they adopted was to inclose in the walls of those buildings hollow globular vessels, so fixed as to be excited into sonorous vibration by the voices of the actors, and thus add considerably to their effect. 98. Musical instruments, how much soever they may differ one from another as to the mechanical modes by means of which they are made to produce soniferous vibrations, have one common property, namely, that they all yield the same tone relatively to the numbers of their vibrations. Hence the term concert pitch, or the sound of a fundamental note corresponding to a certain number of vibrations performed in a given time by the sonorous parts of several instruments which are to be used in conjunction. Different methods are adopted by musicians for obtaining an invariable tone, from which they may compare and regulate any number of instruments to be used in concert; and the tone of this note being decided, they proceed to adjust the strings of violins, violoncellos, and other such-like instruments, so that they may all correspond with each other, as well as with those instruments which by their construction are fitted to yield permanent tones. This operation is called tuning, or putting instruments in tune. 69. Sometimes the fundamental tone is ascertained by means What occasions the emission of tones from the walls, floors, and furniture of an apartment? What advantage was taken of this principle by the ancient Romans? What common property have all musical instruments? What is meant by the term concert pilch? What three methods are employed by musicians to get the invariable tone, or concert pitch? Y of a pitch-pipe, which consists of...