The Sound Museum
The physics of everything you hear — from the vibration of a string to the crack of a sonic boom.
Waveform Lab
Four basic periodic waves, each with a different harmonic signature. Sine is the building block of every other waveform (Fourier's theorem); square is rich in odd harmonics; sawtooth has both even and odd; triangle is the gentlest non-sine.
The Collection
Milestones and phenomena from the world of acoustics. Click any card to copy its name.
A Brief History of Sound
Milestones in understanding, recording, and reproducing sound.
Harmonics Visualizer
Combining sine waves at integer multiples of a fundamental creates complex timbres. The bedrock of additive synthesis — and of Fourier's discovery that every periodic wave can be decomposed into sines.
Hands-on Instruments
Convert frequencies to musical notes (12-tone equal temperament), trace the decibel scale from a whisper to a sonic boom, and watch the speed of sound respond to air temperature.