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Seeing The Patterns In Sound

A pair of artists finds ghostly imagery in sound vibrations.

Vibrations of D. Credit: Louviere + Vanessa

In the late 18 th century, German physicist and musician Ernst Chladni demonstrated how vibrations could be used to create striking imagery. By spreading fine sand across the top of a metal plate and running a violin bow alongside, Chladni showed that the sand would settle into distinct patterns, depending on the frequencies of the sound waves produced by the bow.

Centuries later, in the 1960s, a Swiss physician named Hans Jenny built on Chladni’s experiments in an effort to study vibrational phenomena—what he called “ cymatics .” Visual artist Jeff Louviere happened upon the works of Jenny and Chladni while researching another project, and he and his partner, photographer Vanessa Brown, became inspired to conduct their own experiments to see what sound could look like. The resulting work became Resonantia (Latin for “echo”), a multimedia project centered around 12 images produced by vibrations.

To create the images, the pair (also known as Louviere + Vanessa ) built their own version of a Chladni plate in their New Orleans home. Louviere dismantled one of his guitar amps and separated the speaker, aiming it upwards. On top of the speaker, he placed a lined box and filled it with water and black food coloring. He then hooked the speaker up to an amp plugged into a frequency generator—that is, a computer program with an oscillator—that he could use to play musical notes at various frequencies. A bright ring light mounted over the box illuminated the water below.

As Louviere cycled through musical notes at different frequencies and volumes, from low to ear-piercing—“there was a point where it was so high we had to put the dogs outside so it wouldn’t hurt their ears,” he says—Brown took photographs through the ring light of the water formations produced by the vibrations.

“It was just constant shooting, and trying like every frequency we could stand,” Louviere says.

Brown took about 2,000 photographs in total, and the duo narrowed those down to a dozen, based on the 12 notes of the chromatic scale. They chose the images with the most complex or aesthetically pleasing patterns.

Louviere says he was surprised by some of the patterns they produced. “It’s the first time we’ve done a series of work where we didn’t know what the end result was going to look like,” he says. One of his favorites is the image for F sharp, which is “kind of a weird sound,” he says. The result looked “ like a puffer fish or an alien or something ; it’s got all these crazy lines in it. That one was pretty remarkable.”

And the image for G turned out to be even more eerie. Louviere had been researching the frequencies of various sounds like heartbeats and hurricanes when he read a conspiracy theory about a strange hum called the brown note —a low frequency that would supposedly cause people to lose control of their bowels. When Louviere tried to hit that frequency with their device, Brown captured a vibration pattern that looked like a demonic face.

“It looked like Satan,” Louviere says. “We were like, oh my god.”

Satanic visages aside, the images themselves are a creative example of physics at work. “It’s kind of a classic demonstration in acoustics,” says Trevor Cox, a professor of acoustic engineering at the University of Salford in England. “These are actual physical patterns.”

Every object has a characteristic frequency, or frequencies, at which it vibrates most, with the least input of energy. Those vibrations are associated with standing wave patterns called modes . When the Chladni plate, for instance, vibrates in one of its modes, a pattern appears in the sand on the plate.

“What’s happening is, the sand is moving away from the bits [on the plate] where it’s vibrating a lot” says Cox, and it’s settling in places where there are no vibrations (these places are called “nodes”). And, “if you up the frequency, you’ll find the patterns get really complicated,” because more of those nodes occur.

Cox, who isn’t affiliated with Resonantia , surmises that the patterns depicted in the images formed when the water vibrated in its natural mode. The bright light that Brown shone on the water illuminated the areas that rippled the most.

To achieve the vintage look of the final images, Louviere + Vanessa first printed each photograph onto kozo paper, which is thin and tissue-like, and lay that on top of a metal substrate covered in gold leaf. Then they poured resin over the paper, which turned transparent, allowing the gold leaf to shine through.

The prints have been on display at various galleries across the United States, including A Gallery for Fine Photography in New Orleans and the Verve Gallery in Santa Fe, New Mexico. You can also learn more about a record and music video that Louviere + Vanessa produced for Resonantia , based on the sounds and images, here .

Meet the Writer

About chau tu.

Chau Tu is an associate editor at Slate Plus . She was formerly Science Friday’s story producer/reporter.

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The Magic of Cymatics: Visualizing Sound with Stunning Clarity

Are sounds and vibrations just things we hear, or do they have more to them? Hans Jenny, a Swiss physician, found a way to make sound visible. Our blog will show you the magic of cymatics, using cool science experiments and art.

Get ready for an awesome journey!

Key Takeaways

• Cymatics is the study of how sound can make patterns in materials like sand or water. It shows us that vibrations from music and sounds create visible shapes.
• Ernst Chladni, in the late 18th century, was the first to show these patterns using a plate covered in sand, essentially founding the study of acoustics. Hans Jenny later expanded this idea, mixing science with art to explore more about sound’s effect on different materials.
• Nigel Stanford uses cymatics in his work to mix music with visual effects, making cool videos where you can see sound patterns formed by vibrations. His experiments include using Chladni Plates and Speaker Dishes.
• Chladni Plates are key tools for seeing sound waves’ effects. They use vibration to move sand into patterns that show how different notes change matter.
• Sound has a big impact on health by affecting our bodies’ vibrations. Music therapy uses this idea to help people heal or feel better by bringing their body’s “music” back into harmony.

Understanding Cymatics

Cymatics shows us how sound makes patterns. It’s like seeing music dance!

The study of visible sound and vibration

Sounds and vibrations do more than just make noise. They create patterns that we can see with our eyes, much like Chladni’s experiments allowing us to see the nodal patterns associated with modes of vibration. This cool fact forms the basis of cymatics. Imagine playing music and watching as it paints pictures in sand or water.

These aren’t just any pictures, but shapes that look like they come from nature or geometry books.

Scientists and artists have found ways to show us how sound moves things around to form these designs. From simple tunes to complex frequencies, each one has its own unique pattern.

This magic happens because of something called resonance, where objects vibrate in a way that matches the sound’s vibration mode perfectly.

Next up, let’s talk about how this all began with some history on cymatics discoveries, including key contributions from figures like Alexander Lauterwasser and Ernst Chladni, the latter being crucial to the development of the theory of sound.

Discovery and historical context

Moving from the basics of visible sound and vibration, we hit a milestone in history that changed everything in the field of acoustics. The German musician and physicist  Ernst Chladni made waves —literally—in the late 18th century.

He showed how sand on a vibrating plate jumps into patterns. These patterns are now known as Chladni figures, marking the start of understanding sound in a visual form. It was like seeing music for the first time.

Fast forward to 1967, Hans Jenny took this idea further. He mixed science with art and published “Kymatic,” showcasing how sound could shape materials into stunning designs. This wasn’t just about dust hopping around anymore; it was about seeing the unseen sounds that surround us every day.

Jenny’s work connected dots between ancient wisdom and modern physics, proving that vibrations have more power over our world than we ever imagined.

The Work of Hans Jenny

Hans Jenny was a real genius. He took sounds and showed us how they can make cool patterns in sand or water.

Contribution to the field of Cymatics

Hans Jenny, called the father of cymatics, made waves — literally. His 1967 book “Kymatic” threw open the doors to understanding how sound shapes matter. He showed us that vibrations create patterns in dust, sand, or liquid on surfaces like Chladni plates, a foundational concept of cymatic study.

This was huge; it meant we could actually see sound! His work laid down the basics for what would become a mix of science, art, and something almost magical.

Jenny didn’t just stop there. Oh no — he took things up a notch by diving into modal vibrational phenomena. That’s a fancy way of saying he explored how different modes of vibration shape materials in unique ways, similar to Chladni’s experiments with sound and sand.

By doing so, Hans gave artists and scientists a whole new toolbox to play with. From creating mesmerizing pieces of art to developing better acoustic technologies, his contributions are still echoing today (pun fully intended).

The development of modal vibrational phenomena

Modal vibrational phenomena got a big push thanks to Hans Jenny. He did amazing work with sounds, showing how they can create patterns in materials like sand and water. This wasn’t just about making pretty shapes.

It was about understanding how vibration works in everything around us. Jenny’s experiments used crystal oscillators and fine sand on steel plates to let us see sound as it moved.

This science didn’t stop with Jenny; it inspired others too. Alvin Lucier made music that showed off these ideas, proving sound could do more than we hear; it can also be seen in patterns associated with the modes of vibration. From there, artists and scientists kept exploring how modal patterns of vibration connect to the world—from art installations to studying earthquakes.

Next up is seeing how this all plays out in art and music, illustrating the impact of cymatic phenomena.

Cymatics in Art and Music

So, cymatics in art and music, huh? Imagine sounds turning into a visual feast thanks to artists like Nigel Stanford. He plays with sound waves and brings them to life visually – think of it as seeing what you hear!

Nigel Stanford’s exploration of Cymatics

Nigel Stanford made a cool video called “Cymatics: Science Vs. Music.” He put it on his YouTube channel for everyone to see. In the video, he shows us how sound and vibration can create amazing patterns, allowing us to see the nodal patterns associated with the modes of vibration.

He used things like Chladni Plates, Speaker Dishes, and even a Tesla Coil to do his experiments. It’s like watching magic happen with music!

He has over 641K people following him on his YouTube channel, where he often explores the theory of sound and acoustics. They all love seeing how he mixes science with music in ways that are really fun to watch. Nigel wants everyone to check out the behind-the-scenes of his “Cymatics” video too.

For those who want more, there’s his album “Solar Echoes” and stuff you can get from his store related to cymatics.

Visualization of audio frequencies

Seeing sound might seem like a magic trick, but it’s real with Cymatics. This cool science turns tunes into visual art, demonstrating the fascinating study of wave phenomena. Artists and scientists use tools like Chladni Plates to show us what audio frequencies look like as patterns in sand or water, effectively turning them into water sound images.

These visuals are not just for fun; they help us understand how sound waves move and interact.

One person who really brought this idea to life is Nigel Stanford with his “CYMATICS: Science Vs. Music” video. He used experiments to make music you can see, blending beats with stunning visuals of vibrating powders and liquids dancing to the rhythm.

This wasn’t just about making a catchy tune; it was about showing the power of sound in a way we can see and feel, turning audio waves into something almost magical.

Chladni Plates and Cymatics

Chladni Plates bring sound to life, illustrating the fascinating world of acoustics and vibration. , showing us cool patterns that dance with vibrations. They make seeing sound waves not just a dream but something real and amazing.

Explanation of Chladni Plates

Metal plates, named after Ernst Florens Friedrich Chladni, play a big role in making sound visible. These plates get covered with fine sand. Then they vibrate using a violin bow or sound frequencies from a device.

As the plate vibrates, the sand moves away from areas with lots of vibration to spots where there’s less movement. This creates amazing patterns that let us see how different notes and sounds shape matter.

The patterns formed on these unique plates are known as nodal lines. They are like a map showing where the plate does not move much under certain frequencies. Each pattern is one-of-a-kind for each specific vibration frequency applied to the plate, showcasing the beauty of standing waves and resonance in action, a clear demonstration of sound images made visible.

Artists and scientists alike use Chladni Plates to explore this deep connection between sound and form, revealing secrets of an acoustically shaped universe right before our eyes through cymatic patterns.

The role in visualizing sound patterns

So, after talking about Chladni plates, we see how they help us see sound. Sounds weird, right? But that’s exactly what happens. These plates are like magic mirrors showing us the shape of sound waves, transforming them into cymatic patterns made visible.

When a plate vibrates, it makes patterns. These aren’t just any patterns; they’re like the fingerprints of sounds.

Now let’s dive into  Nigel Stanford’s work with cymatics  in music. He didn’t just play tunes; he showed everyone how cool sound looks when you can actually see it dancing on Chladni plates or in water.

This is a big deal because it connects music and art in a way most of us never think about. So next time you’re jamming to your favorite song, imagine the hidden dance happening on those tiny grains of sand or drops of water!

Impact of Cymatics on Human Health

Cymatics shows us how sound waves can change things, even inside our bodies. Sounds and vibrations might help make us feel better or worse.

Concept of disease as a form of disharmony

Seeing disease as a form of disharmony opens a new way to think about health. The body is like an orchestra, where each part needs to play right for beautiful music. If one instrument plays off tune, it disrupts the whole performance.

In the same way, if one part of our body vibrates wrong, it can lead to sickness.

This idea isn’t just talk. Science shows us that vibrations from sound and music have real effects on our bodies, a fascinating aspect of the study of wave phenomena. They can change how we feel and even help parts of us work better together – aiming for that sweet spot called homeostasis.

By tuning into the right frequencies, we might find new paths to wellness that are more in harmony with how we’re naturally built.

Influence of sound, music, and vibration on the human body

Sound, music, and vibration touch our lives in ways we often don’t realize. They can change how we feel and even help our bodies heal. Sounds have this amazing power to calm us down or pump us up.

Music therapy uses this idea to help people find peace or recover from illness. It’s like our bodies resonate with the vibes around us, feeling better with the right kind of tunes, an idea that connects with Chladni’s theories on vibration.

Some studies show that certain vibrations can improve how our body works, aligning well with the function of sound in therapeutic practices. Think about it – listening to a soothing melody can lower your stress, while upbeat music gets you ready for action.

This isn’t just about feeling good; it’s science at work in your system! Vibrations from music can also encourage healing and balance within, proving that what we hear plays a key role in our overall well-being.

Cymatics shows us how sound shapes the world, and artists like Nigel Stanford turn it into something we can see. Chladni plates help reveal these hidden patterns in a way that’s almost like magic.

It reminds us of the beautiful connection between art, science, and music. Through cymatics, vibrations bring to life the unseen dance of sound around us. So next time you crank up your favorite tune, think about the invisible show happening right before your eyes – or rather, beneath them!

1. What’s the big deal with cymatics, anyway?

Cymatics is like magic for sound, turning noises into cool visible patterns. Imagine your favorite song painted in sand on a speaker… that’s cymatics! It shows us how sound waves make everything jiggle and wiggle into shapes called nodal patterns. So next time you’re blasting tunes, think about the invisible dance happening right before your eyes – or not quite before them, but you get what I mean.

2. Who in the world is Nigel Stanford?

Nigel Stanford isn’t just any guy; he’s like a wizard mixing music with science to create epic videos that showcase the principles of acoustics in fascinating ways. Ever seen sounds set fire or water dancing in weird ways? That’s his jam! He uses cymatics to show off how sound can manipulate materials – from water to fire – making it look as though they’re coming alive with every beat. Watching his work is like seeing a live-action spellbook page turn.

3. And these Chladni Plates are…?

Chladni plates are super cool tools that let us “see” sound vibrations as they form different patterns in sand or salt sprinkled on top of them. When you play tones through these plates, each frequency (or pitch) rearranges the grains into unique designs – sort of like nature’s own Etch A Sketch powered by vibes!

4. Can anyone try this at home, or do I need my own lab?

Believe it or not, diving into basic cymatics doesn’t require fancy gadgets – well, unless you count a speaker and some household items as high-tech lab equipment! With something as simple as a metal plate connected to a source of sound (like an old-school tube amp), sprinkle some salt on top and watch the show begin when those beats drop.

5. Why should we even care about vibrating stuff and patterns?

Here’s where it gets wild: studying vibrations helps scientists understand more about our world – from diagnosing diseases (really!) by applying the function and theory of sound. to improving architectural designs so buildings don’t sway too much during earthquakes… all thanks to observing how different materials react under certain frequencies, a principle deeply embedded in the theory of sound and vibration of glass plates. Plus, if nothing else convinces you…it looks incredibly awesome while doing serious science stuff.

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Enter Into The World Of Cymatics

Experience the fundamentals of cymatics with our range of cymaplate kits, which come with full instructions and all you need to create beautiful cymatic patterns..

CymaPlate Kit – Model M (with violin bow)

Whether you are 9 or 90 our CymaPlate Kit is the perfect way to learn how sound creates form. A great gift for someone you love!

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CymaPlate Kit — Model E (With menu-driven oscillator)

With the electronic CymaPlate Kit—Model E the fascinating world of frequencies can be effortlessly explored with a simple touch of a button. A wonderful world of frequencies at your fingertips!

CymaPlate Kit Model E+ (with Advanced Electronic Oscillator)

Top of the line CymaPlate Kit—Model E+ with Advanced Electronic Oscillator With the electronic CymaPlate Kit—Model E+ the fascinating world of frequencies can be effortlessly explored with a simple turn of the oscillator dial.

Optional Voice Module Kit

Beyond the ability to make visible a myriad of frequencies, your CymaPlate E kit and CymaPlate E+ kit can also make voice and musical instrument sounds visible with the simple addition of our optional Voice Module kit.

CymaScope Pro

The CymaScope Pro is intended primarily for applications in asteroseismology, musicology, phonology and zoology although it is possible to study many other fields with this instrument.

Water Wonders Kit

Convert your CymaPlate E kit or E+ kit to a Water Wonders instrument and you will enter the awe-inspiring world of sound made visible in water, where your electronic oscillator will create great beauty, delighting all who gaze upon the shimmering imagery.

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Classroom-Ready Modular Cymatics Experiments Rig

Introduction: Classroom-Ready Modular Cymatics Experiments Rig

This modular setup is the result of a several-years-long quest to improve cymatics experiments for use in elementary school music class. 

I am an elementary school music teacher (K-5) in Nashville, Tennessee, and my ever-changing "science of sound" unit is always one of my favorites to teach. The unit culminates with "experiment day", when I get to take my students with me down the infinitely fascinating rabbit hole that is cymatics experiments.

In short, cymatics is the study of sound made visible: audio frequencies are used to affect physical matter.

The idea behind incorporating cymatics experiments in music classes is to help students understand the relationship between sound and physical matter. With this modular setup, students can now witness the effects of sound waves on different materials, such as sand, water, and even metal plates. Cymatics experiments give students the opportunity to explore the science behind music and provide a fun and engaging way for students to learn and understand the principles of sound.

However, demonstrating some of these experiments in an elementary school classroom presents several unique challenges. First, time: my 'science of sound' lessons are necessarily fast-paced and action-packed; when we get to the experiment portion I need to have things set up to demonstrate back-to-back before the end of the 45 minute class. Some cymatics experiments are easy to pull off: making patterns with sand on a balloon, violin bow on a metal plate, even my acoustic levitator; the Chladni plate (sand makes patterns on a vibrating metal plate) and "water in speaker" experiments not so much.

Why it hasn't worked:

• Way too loud - especially the Chladni plate experiment
• Requires several cables - setup is too involved and takes too long
• Too big - requires more than one trip to transport across the room
• Too much 'calibrating' - Requires fiddling with things for a bit until it works (leveling the plate, etc.)
• It is difficult to juggle amp volume and tone frequency when one requires a touchscreen or buttons (or anything that isn't a knob)
• Using hacked-up amps makes me nervous around water and keeps everything tethered to a wall outlet

To circumvent these challenges, my goal was to create the smallest, simplest possible electronic device to demonstrate multiple easily-reproducible cymatics experiments in my elementary school music classroom.

This device will be constructed as 4 modules, in this order: the tone generator module (which operates the others), the Chladni module (used with plate or upside down), the waterproof speaker module (of which I made 4 different sizes), and the balloon attachment (to be used with any of the speakers). All of the 3d-printed parts were designed in Tinkercad, and links to the files and projects are provided per step.

Tone Generator Module Materials

• WSFG-06 Tone Generator Module
• Lm386 Audio Amplifier Module
• 9v + holder
• SPST switch
• 1k potentiometer
• flexible stereo aux cable
• Soldering iron / solder / wire
• Magnets (1.2”)
• UV resin and UV lamp

3d prints :

• Component brace
• 4x Screw posts
• Knobs (dB and Hz)
• Cable winder
• Winder handle side/magnet side
• resin mold for bottom

Chladni Module Materials

• Resonance speaker
• Fine grain sand/salt shaker
• Metal plate (I made three- one repurposed from a broken mixer, a 18"x6" (16 guage) piece of metal from Home Depot , and a Chladni plate available on Amazon )
• 1k resistor
• speaker brace

Waterproof Speaker Module Materials

• Speaker (4Ω-32Ω impedance)
• Waterproof spray
• 2" speaker enclosure
• 3.5" speaker enclosure
• 4.5" speaker enclosure
• 6" speaker enclosure

Balloon Attachment Module Materials

• large balloon (36" worked for me)
• rubber band
• balloon attachment - small (4.5")
• balloon attachment - large (6")

Step 1: TONE GEN MODULE: Prep

The WSFG-06 Tone Generator Module will generate the sine wave for our experiments. The button labeled 'P3' will put it into sine wave mode.

Super glue magnets onto component brace and winder magnet mount.

Use double-sided tape to adhere the LM386 module to the bottom of the tone generator.

Super glue screw posts at each corner of the bottom of the tone generator.

Tinkercad project with 3d prints

All of the STL files for the Tone Gen 3d prints are attached to this step.

Attachments

Step 2: Wire Tone Generator to LM386 Amp

Solder wires to the four pins on the end of the LM386 and connect them to the tone generator as shown in the image.

Step 3: Assemble the Retractable Cable

Feed the TRS cable into the component bracket. Cut the plug off of one end of the cable and strip the cable to expose the 3 wires inside. Identify which is the tip/ring/sleeve. Strip the 3 wires and solder a wire to each.

Solder the wires from the TRS cable to the switch and pot as shown in the image.

Step 4: Finish Wiring Switch and Volume Pot

Connect wires to the "OUT" and "GND" screw posts on the LM386, then solder them to the volume pot as shown in the image (OUT to lug 3, GND to lug 1).

Connect two wires to the switch; one will go to the LM386 VCC, the other will go to the battery +

Step 5: Assemble Enclosure; Finish Wiring

Super glue the component brace under the lip of the tone generator. Hot glue the 9v holder next to the component brace, making sure that the leads to the battery are still exposed.

Solder the wire from the middle lug of the switch to the battery +, and the wire from the bottom lug of the switch to the LM386 VCC. Connect the battery - to GND on the LM386.

See the image for full wiring scheme.

Step 6: Create Resin Bottom Panel

UV resin is an incredibly handy medium! I like to make enclosure panels this way because it's WAY faster than printing something as solid. Additionally, the molds can be printed to the exact shape you need, saving you the chore of cutting plexiglass.

To use UV resin: 1. Pour in the sauce. 2. Blast it with the light!

Place the resin mold on a sheet of plexiglass (no need to hold it down- if some creeps out from under, it's easily cut away once cured)

Pour in resin, blast it with the light for a few minutes. A UV nail lamp works great for this. You'll know it's fully cured when the panel snaps easily off of the plexiglass.

Step 7: Drill and Attach Bottom Panel

Mark the bottom panel at the screw posts and drill.

TIP for drilling resin without cracking:

Keep in mind that if you try to drill a hole straight through, the resin will likely crack. Instead, you’re trying to displace material little by little- drill for about one second until shavings come out, then clear the shavings and blow off the end of the drill, and repeat all the way through.

Step 8: Assemble Winder; Attach Knobs

Assemble the cable winder as shown in the image. Tone generator module done!

Next, the Chladni module...

Step 9: CHLADNI MODULE: Place Speaker and Install Jack

Place speaker.

Install jack.

Tinkercad project for 3d prints

All of the STL files for the Chladni Module 3d prints are attached to this step.

Step 10: Wire LED

Wire the LED to the jack and speaker as shown in the image.

Step 11: Create Bottom Panel; Finish Enclosure

Just like with the tone generator bottom panel:

1. Pour in the sauce. 2. Blast it with the light!

The 3d-printed mold can be cut off once cured to allow the LED to shine through.

Mark and drill the panel at the screw posts, attach bottom panel.

Attach the speaker brace with the spacers and M3 bolts as shown in the image.

Step 12: Prepare Plate

Mark the center of your metal plate and drill.

Use an M5-.8 bolt (or whatever fits into your speaker) and attach the plate with as many nuts as will leave about 3mm of threads exposed. A 10mm bolt with 2 nuts was perfect for me.

Pictured are a metal plate repurposed from a broken mixer, a 18"x6" (16 guage) piece of metal from Home Depot , and a Chladni plate available on Amazon

Chladni module complete!

Next, the waterproof speaker...

Step 13: WATERPROOF SPEAKER MODULE: Prepare LED

I made four of these with speakers of different sizes: 2", 3.5", 4.5", and 6". Attached are files to 3d print each of the enclosures, and their respective tinkercad projects are linked below.

To make the 'water in speaker' experiment more effective, we'll put an LED inside the speaker beneath the water by enclosing it completely in resin.

-solder 1k resistor to short leg of LED

-solder a wire to the long leg of the LED, and another to the other side of the resistor

Enclose in resin and cure. I used a small mold meant for chocolate (I think?) but the corner of a clear plastic bag would also work.

Test to make sure the resin is watertight: light the LED by touching the ends of the wires to either side of a 9v battery. Then, submerge the LED in water- if it stays lit, you're good!

Tinkercad projects for enclosures:

All of the STL files for the Waterproof Speaker Module 3d prints are attached to this step.

Step 14: Install LED; Spray

Feed the LED wires into the speaker, and press the LED gently onto the dust cap of the speaker.

With the LED pushed down, hot glue to secure it in place

Spray on a couple coats of the waterproof sealant and let dry

Step 15: Wire LED to Speaker and Jack

Install jack in enclosure, and solder to speaker and LED as shown in the image (wiring scheme is the same as the Chladni module)

Step 16: Seal It Up!

Seal up any gaps where water might get through. Hot glue and plastic bags work well, just be careful not to get glue on the speaker cone.

Step 17: BALLOON ATTACHMENT: Attach Balloon

Cut off the part of the balloon that you blow into, then cut a slit so that the balloon can be laid flat over the printed attachment

Stretch balloon evenly over attachment and secure with a rubber band.

Tinkercad projects for prints:

Step 18: EXPERIMENT TIME!

Tone generator:

The tone generator module is the brains of the operation, it sends the tone to whichever module is connect via the retractable TRS cable. The button labeled 'P3' on the tone generator will put it into sine wave mode.

Chladni module:

Screw the plate onto the Chladni module speaker and sprinkle some sand evenly across the plate. Fire up the tone generator and see what happens!

Can also be used upside down! Try placing it upside down on a large drum, add sand and watch the patterns. The patterns will change as the speaker is moved around on the drum.

Waterproof speaker module:

Just add water!

Balloon attachment:

Simply set on top of one of the waterproof speaker modules and sprinkle some sand onto the balloon. Fire up the tone generator and watch the sand move!

What is Cymatics?

Cymatics is the study of sound and vibration made visible, typically on the surface of a plate, diaphragm or membrane.

From ancient Greek: κῦμα, meaning "wave", Cymatics is a subset of modal vibrational phenomena. The study of visible sound and vibration. The term was coined by Hans Jenny (1904-1972) a physician and natural scientist. In 'Cymatics: The Study of Wave Phenomena' he concluded, "This is not an unregulated chaos; it is a dynamic but ordered pattern."

The multiple forms of universal geometry, symmetry and beauty that emerge through resonance in various mediums, allows us to ponder the nature of sound, vibration, form and many more questions.

Ernst Chladni (1756-1827) was a German musician and scientist, sometimes known as 'the father of acoustics,' almost certainly had access to Hooke's work but it is Chladni who history has chosen to acknowledge for his major study of this class of phenomena. He used a sand-strewn brass plate, excited by a violin bow; since brass is a highly resonant material he found that a large number of archetypal geometric patterns could be created, depending on where on the edge of the plate the bow was drawn. These patterns are now known as  'Chladni Figures.'

Hans Jenny studied visual sound intensively. A physician, fine artist, pianist, philosopher, historian, and empirical researcher. He is nicknamed the "father of cymatics," Between 1958 and his death in 1972, Jenny conducted a wide range of experiments documenting the effects of sound and energy on various media.

The inspiration for the exploration into cymatics is steeped in “anthroposophy,” a philosophy founded by Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925), which states that human beings can intellectually access and uncover elements of an existing spiritual plane.

Mary D. Waller became Professor of Physics at the Royal Free Hospital Medical School in London. She became fascinated by Chladni's work and recreated all the forms he discovered, taking his work to a higher level.

She approached the subject of Chladni Figures with scientific rigor and her work represents a rich resource for students of this branch of acoustics, including some of the mathematical equations that describe the phenomena.

Mary Desiree Waller (1886 - 1959)

Understanding Cymatics

What is sound.

There is the human perception of sound, but this varies depending on the organism or devices sensitivity to a spectrum of vibration. So essentially we could say sound is a longitudinal pressure wave (waves in which the displacement of the medium is in the same direction as, or the opposite direction to, the direction of propagation of the wave), and propagates through a medium by a compression and rarefaction of molecules (molecules don’t radiate out with the wave, they stay in the average of the same position)

Typical Cymatics setup

When the vibration of a transducer (speaker) for example vibrates a circular dish of water, it is transforming into a type of transverse wave. As the surface waves on the water are moving perpendicular (right angled) to the direction of energy transfer (the propagation of the original sound wave).

So in this simple instance, there are many variables that need to be considered to understand how the wave will behave. Eg. The density, depth, viscosity of the water, shape and size of the dish. These could all add up to be the ‘variables of the medium’ that is being vibrated.

Change any of these and you change the dynamics of the medium.

If we are to hold the variables of the medium constant, and now vibrate it through a series of different frequencies, the medium will react due to its ‘resonant modes’ (a wave whose frequency matches one of the mediums natural frequencies of vibration) and create standing waves (standing wave modes arise from the combination of reflection and interference such that the reflected waves interfere constructively with the incident waves)

If we then sweep the vibration through different frequencies (amplitude becomes an important factor) the water surface will react and form geometrical symmetries at certain frequencies.

But, this is not the pattern of the frequency alone. Because if we change any one of the variables of the medium, the pattern will change.

Here below is an example of Chladni figures, and the resonant modes of a violin body, when vibrated to a range of frequencies. The violin body as the medium is held constant, and the sweeping range of frequencies (one by one, from low to high) vibrate the body. There are certain frequencies that will naturally excite it more than others, where standing waves, and thereby chladni figures arise.

So it should be seen that the pattern is not the frequency, rather the pattern is a resonant mode of the medium, being excited/resonating/ ’triggered’ by that particular sound frequency. We are not visualising a specific sound per se, but rather finding a resonant mode of a medium that is excited by that particular sound. This creates a collaboration that would yield a unique form of those variables interacting together. This is a shift in understanding from what is commonly miss-understood by people like John Stuart Reid. Who claim that the pattern produced is the unique pattern of that particular frequency. But the importance of the mediums resonance cannot be eliminated or understated. We can think of this metaphorically, and understand our interconnection more clearly.

As us ourselves as mediums, particular resonant modes, constantly interacting with other frequencies. The constant movement and interaction with ourselves, within and without.

Click here to see more 'Behind the Scenes' videos of Cymatics Photography

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The Art of Cymatics

Some of the most beautiful expressions of cymatics and the cymascope used in art., cymatic art with the cymaplate, a novel technique for creating sound art.

A simple way to create cymatic art at home or school is with the humble yet sophisticated CymaPlate–a sand or salt-strewn metal plate that is vibrated by means of a violin bow. Cymatics is an emergent science but it is also an enjoyable new art form, blending art with science. There are many ways to make unique cymatic patterns with the CymaPlate.

For example, personal choice of media, such as colored sands and glitters give each pattern a unique texture and color palette; by making the plate ‘sing’at more than one pitch by bowing it twice while the particulate matter is still vibrating, creates composite frequency patterns that are often even more beautiful than single frequency patterns.In the past the challenge with CymaPlates has been to find a way to permanently capture the sand or other particulate matter, so that it can be wall mounted.

Now, thanks to a technique developed by John Stuart Reid, anyone, child or adult, can create cymatic art at home or in studio that can be hung on a wall. Part of the field trials for the new technique were held at the London-based Sci-Art-Met conference in May 2016, at which Reid gave a talk entitled ”Cymatics: A New Frontier in Science” He also hosted a fun workshop entitled, ”Cymatics: A new Frontier in Art” Workshop participants watched a demonstration of the CymaPlate, including how to capture and save the patterns as permanent art pieces. Many of the participants created their own works of cymatic art to take home. More information on the CymaPlate kit

Essence Illumined – Artist and writer, Lynnclaire Dennis, is blessed with the rare ability to see sound.

www.starstuffglitter.com

Her special gift is powerfully evident in much of her art, which she describes as ”Essence Illumined”. Lynnclaire’s unique style naturally encapsulates many of the cymatic forms that the CymaScope team are fortunate to see every day in our laboratory.

“Following two Near Death Experiences in 1987, when a neurologist tried to get me to put a 2D puzzle of stars and shapes together, I refused, saying ”It’s not the way it works.” When he asked what I meant, I said, ”Listen. Can’t you hear them? It’s not how they fit together.” As inexplicable as it seems, the cerebral trauma induced by two severe hypoxic (lack of oxygen) experiences awakened some kind of unusual cognitive ability; the ability to hear and accurately draw the angles that create what I call ‘The Music’, the music of sound, light, time and matter; it’s what matter is; how matter moves; and it’s love.

Four years after the accident, and a third NDE, the geometric angles I was seeing in sounds led to ‘angels’ in spheres and catalysed a 26-year career in mathematics and physics. Painting the inexplicable has kept my inner world vibrant through many healing experiences.

I call my art ‘Essence Illumined’, each piece having a spherical nature that one friend likened to the ultimate in Christmas ornaments. When I compare my work with what is being revealed through the CymaScope, each is an expression of understanding that ignites with a sound that comes from a person or an experience. It is a means of releasing my mind and heart from the illusion of straight lines and the ‘straight and narrow’; to artistically help myself and others by making the invisible visible in the elegant but exasperatingly fast flow of life. Each represents a state of self-granted grace; a moment to honour the heart’s desire .

Seldom if ever does a preconceived idea last more than a few hours; most are whited out to the dismay of many who watch, unaware of my process. A single aspect habitually finds its way into my play: the Golden ratio.

Even this is simply a matter of waiting and watching for how it appears. Simply put; my art is like my work; ‘high play’, an opportunity to create unity through diversity.”

You can see more of Lynnclaire’s wonderful art work on her web site:   www.starstuffglitter.com

Artist, Oliver Halsman Rosenberg, has been exploring a new style of art he has named ‘Spherism’, based on the spherical nature of sound and electromagnetic energy. His novel style also echo’s cymatic forms, which naturally pleases the team at  CymaScope.com.

Oliver takes up the story of how Spherism evolved…

The circle was the first image I drew, and have continued to draw my whole life, because my name Oliver begins with that shape. Sound, vibration, and form began to play a major role in my art in 2001, after a friend showed me a demonstration of Cymatics. I was also studying sacred geometry at the time, and an explosion of inspiration came when I linked these scientific concepts with my understanding of the vibratory nature of reality according to Eastern philosophy. Art has the ability to communicate scientific discoveries to the masses through a process of transmutation. 100 years ago Picasso and Braque predicted the digital age with ”Cubism”, which showed how the world could be observed from many angles simultaneously. I came up with my own visual vocabulary which I playfully call ”Spherism”. I hope to be one of many voices bringing liberating information to the public about the fundamental nature of the energy which makes up our reality, and reveal new possibilities of relating to the world around/with-in you.

I have taken inspiration from Western science and mathematics (like Marko Rodin’s Torus breakthroughs and Grigori Perelman’s resolution of the Poincar conjecture), as well as the canons of Eastern esoteric wisdom (the study of Indian Mantras, Yantra and Tantra, as well as Buddhism conception of the void). The period of time we are experiencing now is full of great opportunities for enlightenment. Most of the sacred texts are revealed and available if you look for them, and scientists are discovering through developments like the CymaScope and the Large Hadron Collider that it is space, vibration, and energy that make up our reality. In my art I not only use ancient symbols as vessels for the understanding about the vibratory nature of the Universe, but I also transform mundane imagery like cereal boxes, or covers of magazines into abstract formations which imply that vibrations and spheres make up our life at the highest and lowest levels. I also use Tibetan Singing bowls to work directly with vibrations, and as technology develops I hope to do more interactive art projects that allow people to engage with Spherism not just as an image, but also as an experience.

The CymaScope is a technology full of amazing possibilities to demonstrate the reality of vibrations and how they affect us in so many ways on a day-to-day basis. It is my hope that once people realize the inter-connected nature of all of reality through vibrations, they will have a shift in consciousness and begin to understand how they are not separate from anything they perceive, and how what they perceive is directly influenced from the vibrations they send out from their heart.

May science help to liberate all beings from suffering.

(Spherism)  https://spherism.tumblr.com/

https://oliverhalsmanrosenberg. blogspot.com/

Artist chooses CymaScope to help crystalize a dream from teenage years

In 2006 the celebrated American artist, Ray Pierotti, attended the first international conference based on the sound healing modality, Cymatherapy. One of the guest speakers, John Stuart Reid, demonstrated the Cymascope, an instrument he developed with gifted American design engineer, Erik Larson.

Reid’s talk and demonstration inspired Mr Pierotti to manifest a concept he first dreamed about as a teenager in the Wasatch Mountains, the creation of art that is able to capture and connect the ephemeral world of sight, shape, and sound. Ray Pierotti takes up the story:

“The demonstration of the CymaScope in Atlanta, in 2006, was something of a revelation to me: John Stuart Reid was able to show slices of sound suspended in a water medium. For the first time I was able to ‘see’ sound and understand its spherical nature. For me this crystalized a principle I had first dreamt about in my teenage years in the Wasatch Mountains: the visual connection between sound, chakras, color, states of mind, body organs, numbers, shapes, astronomy, and astrology. All enjoyed visual attributes. All were vibrating ‘systems.’

The CymaScope demonstration gave me the final element needed to create my ‘Gateway to the Divine’ series, based on the number 7. I call the seven paintings of the series–along with music composed by me “pictumsonus,” from ‘sonus,’ meaning  ‘of sound’ & ‘pictum,’ meaning ‘to paint.’

The subject matter of the work concerns the seven different ways in which people seek to find their divine nature through universally adopted symbol systems. One of those means is sound.

I like to think that ‘the muses’ introduced me to Cymascope.com! The series could not have been realized without the generosity and support of Reid and Larson. Their permission to use the CymaGlyphs, which Erik created on the Cymascope, provided me with visuals of the seven notes of the western scale. I integrated these circularimages into the paintings and musical scores along with the rest of the elements used to represent the seven different universal approaches. Each painting was created in 49 layers on an untreated cotton fabric stretched over a thin wood panel “

Ray Pierotti’s web site is a treasure trove of beauty and artistry. The team at CymaScope.com highly recommends a visit: https://www.raypierotti.com

Ray Pierotti

Cymatics Resources

Dive into our comprehensive Cymatics Resources page to find tools, guides, and experiments from a multitude of sources. Useful for anyone looking to explore or deepen their knowledge of sound visualization and vibrational phenomena.

Books and Literature

Cymatics Books and Literature have their own designated page. Click here for access .

Several Developers have created digital Cymatic pattern simulators, and put their code on Github.  Here is a curated selection:

Lucio Paiva – A Vanilla Javascript implementation of a digital Chladni plate demonstration (non-interactive)

People/Groups

Nigel John Stanford – Cymatics, Audio Visualization, Robotic Instruments from Wellington, New Zealand.

Nigel has created some amazing videos demonstrating experiments with sound and science in a captivating style.

Website | Youtube | Instagram | Twitter X  

Jodina Meehan  – Video Channel for Cymatic Artist Jodina Meehan. Videos of live cymatics, records of cymatica art works being created, and cymatic how-tos.

Cymascope – Four dedicated individuals (John Stuart Reid, Vera Gadman, James Stuart Reid, Annalise Reid)with a passion for cymatics, the emergent science that’s poised to blossom into every field of human endeavor.

Website | Youtube

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