Take a few select notes, add an envelope, some overtones, and just the right timbre. Now let that vibrate your basilar membrane. What do you have? Beethoven's ninth, of course. This hour, Ira Flatow talks with three physicists about music. Why does a violin sound different from a clarinet? And what makes one sound "musical" while another is just noise?

Lend an ear to the physics of music

From the shape of your ear canal, to the wave properties of sound, physics can tell us a lot about music. We'll talk about it, with the help of some ancient bassoons, Tuvan throat singers, and a lesson in building a brass instrument. We're broadcasting live this week from the Exploratorium in San Francisco, California.

Call in with your questions and comments at 1-800-989-8255 (3-4 Eastern). Teachers, find more information about using Science Friday as a classroom resource in the Kids' Connection.

Guests:
Bryant Hichwa
Professor, Physics and Astronomy
Sonoma State University
Rohnert Park, California

David Kirkby
Associate Professor, Experimental Particle Physics
University of California Irvine
Irvine, California

Brian Holmes
Professor, Physics
San Jose State University
San Jose, California

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This segment produced by Annette Heist