Introduction to Sound Waves Microlesson

Sound Wave Introduction

To understand music theory, we have to know the language of music - its symbols and grammar. Music is comprised of sound and silence. The silence in between is as important as the sound that we hear. There are many sounds that we do not hear, though. In this microlesson, we will familiarize ourselves with the physics of sound waves.

Explore

As we mentioned before, music is comprised of sound and silence. View the presentation below to learn more about the physics of sound waves. Prepare to take notes and use the navigational buttons at the bottom of the video to pause, rewind, or move forward.

In the presentation, you heard that for tuning purposes, a band or orchestra tune to an A 440 Hertz. Click below to listen to what Orchestra tuning sounds like. Then, move onto the Challenge page to see test your knowledge about what you have learned in this microlesson.

Challenge

Using your knowledge from the microlesson, assess your knowledge of the language of music in the activity below. Click to begin the activity below. After you answer each question, click the checkmark in the lower right-hand corner to proceed to the next slide.

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