9781422272923

In brass and wind instruments and in human voices, air is one of the most basic factors. Science has helped us figure out just how these instruments work. Most people have heard that the Bernoulli effect helps airplanes fly, but it is less common knowledge that the Bernoulli effect is also important in music. This scientific principle teaches that fast moving air creates lower pressure, which creates suction. That fast-moving air is necessary to keep instruments playing and voices singing through phrases. When lips, vocal folds, or reeds are squeezed together and air is forced through, the Bernoulli effect pushes them apart and sucks them back together hundreds, or even thousands, of times per second. This is called vibration. The Music is everywhere. Sometimes we don’t even realize how often music is playing in the background. From stores to restaurants to movies, the music we hear, both consciously and subconsciously, sends a message to our bodies. For example, a strong, fast beat can speed up a person’s heart rate, breath, or brain waves. It can make toes tap or heads bop almost involuntarily. By contrast, a slower music with a softer beat can make our heart rates slow down. Some research suggests that listening to music composed during the Baroque era (1600–1750 AD) while studying can help the brain absorb material more quickly and thoroughly. The body’s reaction to music is measured in a type of science called psychoacoustics . This field of study is both fascinating and useful. It can help business owners, marketers, film score composers, DJs, or commercial directors to make their endeavors more effective. Utilizing the concept of psychoacoustics, some restaurants play fast music in faster the vibration, the higher the pitch. PSYCHOACOUSTICS

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SCIENCE IN MUSIC