It is a precise interval/frequency explorer that you can click on to play. There are sliders and a virtual keyboard as well for playing around. To be able to play it quickly, you can also use your computer keyboard. No setup necessary; just open in your browser.
A single octave of keys is displayed on the virtual keyboard. Just click on a key (black or white) to hear a tone at the selected pitch. The octave shift buttons (labeled with note names/arrow symbols) allows you to move the entire keyboard up and down. Below the keyboard is the frequency slider for continuous fine-tuning of pitch. Alternatively, enter an exact frequency into the text input field to have it play back.
How to Use the Sound Explorer
Alternatively you can easily alter the pitch using your computer’s keyboard. To step the pitch up or down by 10 hertz use the up/down arrow keys. To make the change in smaller steps of one hertz use the left/right arrow keys. The bracket keys will alter the pitch by an octave either side. The n key will reset current frequency to the next closest equal-tempered note. The spacebar begins and ends the tone.
The waveform selector changes the type of sound. Pure, soft tones come from sine, whereas square creates a reedy, hollow sound. The sawtooth is buzzy and bright, while triangle option provides a softer version of the square wave. It lets you hear the impact of various harmonics on the texture of the pitch.
To control the loudness of what is produced there are volume controls. The first is a master volume slider that controls overall loudness of all the voices. If you want to add extra voices then you have the option to switch on voices B & C that will be able to produce a chord or interval. Each of these voices also has its own volume slider along with an input for frequency. This means you can mix sounds together as desired.
There are also shape controls that change the attack and release times. Shorter lengths mean the sound will begin and end quickly and longer ones gives you a more smooth swell.
Movement is added in the form of tremolo and vibrato. Vibrato modulates the pitch; tremolo modulates the volume. Each has its own slider to control depth of effect. The rate slider controls speed of the modulation. These allow you to experiment with how modulation changes tone and pitch perception.
Sweep: This automatically changes the frequency over time. Click on sweep after setting the target frequency/duration. It then glides the tone from its current pitch to the one you have set. It is useful if you want to hear a large interval or check the resonance frequency without having to adjust manually.
There are two ear training games where you can practice matching pitch. In one game you have to guess the hidden target frequency. Adjust the main slider as you go until you feel like it’s the same pitch as what you’re hearing, then submit your answer. In the other game they play you two tones and you have to say if the second tone is higher or lower than the first. Your accuracy determines difficulty of the next round.
With the hold mode engaged, the play button functions differently. With hold mode disabled, pressing play will turn the tone on or off. In hold mode, press and hold the play button to produce a tone. Hold mode prevents tone from playing indefinitely if you forget to stop it. Pressing the space bar while in hold mode will also sustain the tone.
Resetting all settings to default is done by pressing the r key. It brings back the frequency (to 440 hertz), disables additional voices and resets all the sliders. The help button will open up a help panel with more specific instructions. The fullscreen button takes the widget full-screen making it use more of your screen space, giving you a bigger canvas on which to display the waveform.
The other voices can be used to look into effect of dissonance and consonance. For example, set one of the other voices (say B) to a value that produces a simple ratio relative to the fundamental. A is 100 Hz, then make B 150 Hz (a perfect fifth). You’ll notice how the waveform combines. Each voice appears in pale color, while the combined form appear in bold. This kind of visual feedback will aid your understanding of how complex waveforms are made of simpler components.
Experiment with variations in attack and release time and observe their impact on the transient response. The longer the attack, the more difficult it is to fine tune your pitch; a short release will make the end of the note clear and distinct. Here’s where you play around with the envelope shape and its effect on the clarity of a tone.
In terms of feedback, the ear training games give instant results as to how accurately you are playing. I suggest starting with bigger intervals in either the upper or lower game to build your confidence. Then as your skills increase, you will gradually move to smaller differences between pitches. It’s an effective way of slowly tuning up your ear for pitch.
For more accurate experimentation, you can add in your own frequency value here via the input. If you’re trying out different intervals, this will be useful. Alternatively, you can quickly run through a sweep of frequencies using the slider. Between the sliding and precise input options, you have complete control of the pitch.
Listen to how each of these modulations affects the sound. A touch of vibrato can bring life into what would otherwise be a still tone. Heavy tremolo can obscure the pitch entirely. Experiment with the depth and rate until you get the right mix for your experiments. You can use them to replicate the characteristics of an instrument, or even create a new acoustic environment around it.
This is a practice tool/widget. Spend some time getting to know it. Get to know all the controls. Try out various modulation/waveform/intervals. Find that every one makes a contribution towards the sound of this instrument. Begin playing today; see what you can make.