Naked Science Forum
General Science => General Science => Topic started by: amalia on 08/11/2019 11:43:48
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Justin wrote to us to know more about this:
Is there any truth in this Solfeggio scale thing that I read about? Some frequency like 528 can make you go from sad to happy or is this whole thing more like hypnosis?
Can you help?
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Justin wrote to us to know more about this:
Is there any truth in this Solfeggio scale thing that I read about? Some frequency like 528 can make you go from sad to happy or is this whole thing more like hypnosis?
Can you help?
The Solfeggio scale (from which we get Solfa - doh a deer etc) was an early musical 6 tone scale used for Gregorian Chants. Today it is called Just Intonation.
It is based on the natural Pythagorean scale which uses ratios of natural harmonics so it is one which matches the natural resonances of objects like pipes, strings etc, so it is very pleasing to the ear and is one which we naturally sing. Note here I am talking about the relationship between notes and not their actual frequencies, a natural scale can start on any frequency and there is no reason to think that any one is better than any other, especially since the length of the ear canal and cochlea differ between people. So, relative frequencies are important, not specific ones.
Very early music was very limited, usually to unison, perfect 4th, 5th and octave, because changing key was not possible due to the physics of the Pythagorean scale. The introduction of the equal temperament scale allows many more musical possibilities and has enriched our music, but it comes at a cost in that some of the notes - mainly 3rd and 4th - are slightly out of tune.
Singers and unfretted string instruments can play a just scale (so violin can accompany a singer singing a just scale), but a piano can’t play a just scale. So your best bet for hearing a natural scale (which the voice tends towards) is folk songs fiddle accompanied, Gregorian Chant, or a cappella groups eg Barbershop quartets. I would recommend listening to some as it is very pleasing to the ear. But it has nothing to do with specific ‘magical’ frequencies, that’s just hokum.