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| University of Sydney's Professor Geordie Williamson will be talking about maths and music at the City Recital Hal. Phoro: Janie Barrett |
Why a whistle sounds different to a violin, for example, can be explained by the different sound waves produced by each, according to one of Australia's leading mathematicians.
"If
you look at the sound waves of a whistle, it looks like a sound wave
from high school maths, whereas the sound wave of a violin has a very
complicated composition," said Geordie Williamson, who is the director
of the University of Sydney's Mathematical Research Institute.
The same concept can also be taken into space and understanding the frequency of a drum can help mathematicians and scientists learn more about certain vibrating stars...
Professor Williamson emphasises that maths can't explain everything about music.
Even if you look at, and understand, what the soundwave created by a certain note on a certain instrument will look like, you can't predict exactly what will hit your ear.
It's also why the best mathematicians aren't the best musicians.
