Music Theory, lecture 3 on overtone series

Lecture 3 on the Overtone Series

Lecture 1: Structure of music and "Great Composers and Great Music."

Lecture 2: What is the Overtone Scale.

Lecture 3: Hearing the overtones

Lecture 4: Using the overtones to form chords.

What is the Overtone Series?

Can you hear the overtones? Yes!

I. The first overtone has to be an exact octave higher.
1. Silently press the C that is an octave higher and hold the key down.
2. Abruptly strike the lower C
You can clearly hear the upper C. This would be the string divided into halves.

1. Silently press the C that
is an octave higher and hold

2. Strike the
lower C

II. The next overtone is the string vibrating in 3rd's
This new overtone is G. The second overtone is always a 5th above the root.
This will be the first overtone that you hear other than a C.
Let's hear this overtone, using the same exercise as above.
More History pages:

1. Silently press the G
and hold

2. Strike the lower C

Now we have two different tones vibrating on the same string.

III. The next overtone will be a 4th from the tone G, or
another octave on C.
This new overtone is always a 4th above the 2nd overtone.
Let's hear this overtone, using the same exercise as above.

1. Silently press the C
and hold

2. Strike the lower C

Lecture 1 Lecture 2 lecture 4

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Music Theory/Overtone Series 3

Lecture 3 on the Overtone Series

Lecture 1: Structure of music and "Great Composers and Great Music."

Lecture 2: What is the Overtone Scale.

Lecture 3: Hearing the overtones

Lecture 4: Using the overtones to form chords.

What is the Overtone Series?

Can you hear the overtones? Yes! I. The first overtone has to be an exact octave higher.1. Silently press the C that is an octave higher and hold the key down.2. Abruptly strike the lower CYou can clearly hear the upper C. This would be the string divided into halves.

1. Silently press the C that is an octave higher and hold

2. Strike the lower C

II. The next overtone is the string vibrating in 3rd'sThis new overtone is G. The second overtone is always a 5th above the root.This will be the first overtone that you hear other than a C.Let's hear this overtone, using the same exercise as above. More History pages:

1. Silently press the G and hold

2. Strike the lower C

Now we have two different tones vibrating on the same string. III. The next overtone will be a 4th from the tone G, or another octave on C. This new overtone is always a 4th above the 2nd overtone. Let's hear this overtone, using the same exercise as above.

1. Silently press the C and hold

2. Strike the lower C

Lecture 1 Lecture 2 lecture 4

Music and You does not grant permission for copying text, graphics, free piano music, or sound recordings from this site.

Can you hear the overtones? Yes!

I. The first overtone has to be an exact octave higher.
1. Silently press the C that is an octave higher and hold the key down.
2. Abruptly strike the lower C
You can clearly hear the upper C. This would be the string divided into halves.

1. Silently press the C that
is an octave higher and hold

2. Strike the
lower C

II. The next overtone is the string vibrating in 3rd's
This new overtone is G. The second overtone is always a 5th above the root.
This will be the first overtone that you hear other than a C.
Let's hear this overtone, using the same exercise as above.
More History pages:

1. Silently press the G
and hold

Now we have two different tones vibrating on the same string.

III. The next overtone will be a 4th from the tone G, or
another octave on C.
This new overtone is always a 4th above the 2nd overtone.
Let's hear this overtone, using the same exercise as above.

1. Silently press the C
and hold

Music and You does not grant permission for copying text,
graphics, free piano music, or sound recordings from this site.