What is Harmonic series (music)?
'''Harmonics''' in [[music]] are notes which are produced in a special way. They are notes which are produced as part of the “harmonic series”. In [[physics]], a '''harmonic''' is a [[wave (physics)|wave]] which is added to the basic [[wikt:fundamental|fundamental]] wave. This article talks about sound waves, which can be understood clearly by looking at the strings of a [[musical instrument]]. When a [[violin]]ist plays a [[note (music)|note]] on a violin string, the string starts to [[vibration|vibrate]] very fast. This vibration makes the [[air]] vibrate and the sound waves travel to our [[ear]] so that we can hear it. If the note were absolutely pure the string would move in a perfect sinusoidal shape and produce only one frequency, but instead there are multiple frequencies being produced at the same time along with the main one. The note played on the violin string makes the string vibrate in a very complicated way. There is the basic note (the fundamental), but added to that are lots of other little notes that all add up to a sound in a special way that tells us that it is a violin playing and not a [[clarinet]] or a human [[voice]]. The higher the note, the faster the string vibrates. An A above middle C (the violinist’s A string) vibrates at 440Hz (440 times per [[second]]). This is the “fundamental” or “first harmonic”. The second harmonic vibrates twice as fast ([[ratio]] 2:1): 880Hz. This gives an A an [[octave]] higher. The third harmonic will give a ratio 3:2. This will be an E (an octave and a fifth above the fundamental). The higher the harmonic the quieter it is, but the ratio is always a whole number (not a [[Fraction (mathematics)|fraction]]). Every note that is played on an instrument is really a combination of several notes or “harmonics”, even though we may not realize that we are hearing more than one note at a time. Play the lowest C on the [[piano]]. Now find the next C which is an [[octave]] higher. Press this key very slowly so that it does not sound and hold it down. While holding