[Intro]
Fooling with the sound
(The best fooling around)
[Verse 1]
From way down low
(To way up high)
Feel the flow
(Touch the sky)
[Bridge]
Infrasound
(Get down, down)
Sounds all around
(Round n’ round)
Frequency
(Intensity)
[Chorus]
(Ohh) that Hertz, so good
(Ahh) you’ve found the sound
(Ohh) it Hertz, so good
(Yeah) sound found around
(Around and around)
In a get down
(Down, down, down)
[Verse 2]
Let’s get down low
(Way below low)
And let’s get high
(My, oh, my)
Try!
[Bridge]
Infrasound
(Get down, down)
Sounds all around
(Round n’ round)
Frequency
(Intensity)
[Chorus]
(Ohh) that Hertz, so good
(Ahh) you’ve found the sound
(Ohh) it Hertz, so good
(Yeah) sound found around
(Around and around)
In a get down
(Down, down, down)
[Outro]
That Hertz, so good
(You’ve found the sound)
(Ohh) it Hertz, so good
A SCIENCE NOTE
Hertz (Hz): The base unit of frequency, equal to one cycle per second
“A piano or violin string can resonate or vibrate in various patterns, producing multiple tones simultaneously. These include a fundamental tone and higher overtones (and sometimes lower undertones). The richness and beauty of music arise from the intricate interplay of these harmonics,” explains Edward Witten. (Notice the shape of the strings in the picture. Each string is playing a wide variety of frequencies.)
Music encompasses a wide range of audible frequencies, with live and recorded music differing in frequency range and dynamics depending on the instruments used and the acoustics of the environment. The piano, with its 88 keys, spans nearly the entire range of human hearing (approximately 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz), but music often extends beyond these bounds through techniques like note bending. For example, a blues guitarist may manipulate a single note to produce subtle frequency variations, creating emotional resonance and engaging the listener in unique ways.
In addition to audible frequencies, inaudible frequencies can also have physical effects. Extremely low frequencies (known as infrasound) are often felt in the body rather than heard. These vibrations can create a tactile experience, impacting listeners on a visceral level, such as the rumble felt during a live bass performance or a cinematic explosion. This interplay between audible and non-audible frequencies contributes to the emotional and physical experience of music, though more research is needed to fully understand the mechanisms behind these effects.
Since most live music encompasses a wide range of audible frequencies, the specific tuning standard for the A note (e.g., 440 Hz or 432 Hz) plays a relatively minor role in the overall listening experience. What resonates with listeners is the interplay of frequencies across a piece of music, particularly the harmonic combinations of notes—such as the emotional contrasts between major and minor chords—that evoke feelings of joy, melancholy, or tension.
Moreover, the format of the music significantly influences the frequency response. Live performances deliver a full spectrum of sound, including subtle overtones and spatial acoustics, while recorded music, especially if compressed, can alter the richness and range of frequencies reaching the listener’s ears. Beyond tuning and recording methods, the dynamic and unpredictable nature of musical compositions often triggers physical responses. For example, the rising tension, sudden shifts, or crescendos in a piece of music can produce sensations like goosebumps or shivers, a phenomenon linked to the release of dopamine in the brain during moments of heightened emotional engagement.
In essence, while tuning standards provide a framework for harmony, the emotional and physical impacts of music are driven more by its structural, performative, and acoustic qualities than by the exact frequency of any single note. This underscores the complexity of music’s influence on human perception and emotion.