2 9 



MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS 



Tu,rxl a/nerft aJ 



motion of the entire string, the motion of the portion plucked, 

 and the motion of the remaining unplucked portion of the 

 string. Here, naturally, different tones arise, corresponding 

 to the different modes of vibration. The note produced by 

 the vibration of one third of the original string is called the 

 second overtone. 



The above experiments show that a string is able to vibrate 

 in a number of different ways at the same time, and to emit 



simultaneously a num- 

 ber of different tones ; 

 also that the resulting 

 complex sound consists 

 of the fundamental 

 and one or more over- 

 tones, arfd that the 

 number of overtones 

 present depends upon 

 how and where the 

 string is plucked. 



269. The Value of 

 Overtones. The pres- 

 ence of overtones de- 

 termines the quality 



^ th Overtone 



FIG. 185. A string can vibrate in a number of of the SOlind produced, 

 different ways simultaneously, and can produce , r , ., 



different notes simultaneously. If the String Vibrates 



as a whole merely, the 



tone given out is simple, and seems dull and characterless. 

 If, on the other hand, it vibrates in such a way that 

 overtones are present, the tone .given forth is full and rich 

 and the sensation is pleasing. A tuning fork cannot vi- 

 brate in more than one way, and hence has no overtones, 

 and its tone, while clear and sweet, is far less pleasing than 

 the same tone produced by a violin or piano. The un- 



