Mathematics and Music

by Neil Lescott

Submitted : Fall 2009

Webster dictionary defines music as the science or art of ordering tones or sounds in succession, in combination, and in temporal relationships to produce a composition having unity and continuity. For thousands of years music has been created in many forms, and has also introduced various instruments. As the art form evolve, it has shown the fact that there is a very close a unique association with mathematics, one that not only share the basic of counting but, one that involve a deeper connection through calculus.

            Musical sound can be set up by oscillating strings (guitar, piano, and violin), membranes (drums), air columns (flute, pipe organ). The thought of music having a relationship with calculus may seem far fetch but there are series, waves and oscillation which relate calculus to sound and music. In this exercise we will look at how music travels and the medium it uses.

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