PECULIAR SOUND EFFECTS. 75 



dustry of the Atlantic coast to show that it is an important source 

 of national wealth, and I believe it will reasonably be deduced, 

 from what I have written, that nothing but restrictive laws in 

 several States prevents it from becoming of vastly greater im- 

 portance. 



PECULIAR SOUND EFFECTS. 



BY A. A. KNUDSON. 



IN this article we propose to consider some of the peculiar fea- 

 tures and effects of sound as we meet them in our everyday 

 life, giving special reference to that very oft perplexing phe- 

 nomenon the location of various sounds. In order that these re- 

 marks shall not extend beyond reasonable limits in our treatment 

 of this broad subject, we shall confine* them to sound effects as 

 they originate indoors, and not so much to the origin and trans- 

 mission of sounds in the atmosphere. The inability to determine 

 at once whence a sound comes, or, as is often the case, locating it 

 in the wrong place, occasions frequent trouble and annoyance, as 

 we shall show by incidents in our own experience, extending over 

 a number of years. 



In order that those not familiar with the subject may obtain a 

 fair idea of the peculiar effects of sound, as we shall herein illus- 

 trate, let us look briefly at some of its principles. In the science 

 of acoustics, sound is simply vibrations or pulsations originating 

 from an unlimited variety of causes, varying in amplitude, pitch, 

 etc., passing through the intervening air, and acting upon the 

 organs of the ear. The phonograph gives us an excellent illustra- 

 tion of the composition of these vibrations, for by examining with 

 a magnifying glass the cylinder upon which the human voice has 

 been placed either in spoken words or vocal music, we find all 

 the vibrations which go to make up the different characteristics 

 of sound faithfully recorded in the indentations upon the cylin- 

 der. I say faithfully recorded, because their correct reproduction 

 is a proof of this the result being the same also if other than 

 vocal sounds are recorded upon the cylinder, such as music from 

 instruments either single or combined. 



If we follow the lines made by the vibrations closely, we shall 

 see in the indentations deep and coarse punctures which repre- 

 sent the loud base notes of the male singer or speaker, while the 

 fine, light, and more frequent indent represent the high notes of 

 either a male or a female voice, and the same effect is produced 

 by the vibrations of sounds made by musical instruments. The 

 phonograph, therefore, enables us to capture, as it were, all 

 manner of sounds, and to give them optical expression, while 



