PHI · Sound & form
One universe. Many ways to explore.
Hear a shape, see an interval, or discover how a pattern returns. PHI brings together interactive instruments for exploring the relationships between number, form, sound, light and the cosmos.
At its heart is an inspiration from the Quadrivium: the four liberal arts of arithmetic, geometry, music and astronomy. Four complementary perspectives for seeking and understanding the harmony of the cosmos through sound and form.
Arithmetic
Number and its relationships
Geometry
Form, proportion and space
Music
Sound, rhythm and harmony
Astronomy
Cycles, motion and the cosmos
PHI carries that spirit into a modern, hands-on space. A scale reveals its geometry; a frequency draws a pattern; a rhythm becomes motion. Move between instruments to listen, build, compare and discover connections for yourself.
Discover each instrument
Key ideas, practical examples and experiments to explore further. Choose an instrument and discover how to learn with it.
Music
Scale Studio
Explore musical scales, chords and their shapes
Sono Training
Learn note locations on piano and guitar
Scaler
Explore equal octave divisions and microtonal tuning
KeyPad
Find chord connections in a playable harmonic lattice
Circle of Fifths
Understand keys and chord relationships with an interactive circle of fifths
Pendulum
See rhythm and phase in a musical pendulum wave
Loop Multitrack
Layer recordings and explore musical tape loops
Ear Training
Practice recognizing musical intervals, scales and chords by ear
Fret Map
Find musical scales and intervals across the fretboard
Hangdrum Map
Explore handpan scales and design playable note layouts
Polymeter
Hear polyrhythms as independent musical cycles
Synth
Learn synthesis by shaping a sound you can see
Sound & Waves
Wave Field
See wave interference and standing-wave patterns
Chladni Plates
Explore Chladni patterns: the geometry of vibrating plates
Ratios
Listen to musical intervals and see their frequency ratios
Room Modes
Explore standing-wave modes inside a room
Hertz
Explore precise frequencies, intervals and octave fields
Binaural
Explore stereo tones and tune their binaural frequency difference
Spectrum Analyzer
See the frequencies in a voice, instrument or audio file
Cymatics
Turn sound into responsive visual patterns
Sonic Forms
Hear geometry through string lengths and musical ratios
Harmonic Series
Build timbre from harmonics and vibrating-string patterns
Vibratune
Tune sustained notes with a visual pitch meter and strobe
Number & Form
Platonic Solids
Explore the geometry and symmetry of Platonic solids
Compass & Ruler
Construct geometry with a digital compass and ruler
Maths
Understand arithmetic through interactive mathematical pictures
Universal Converter
Compare equivalent measurements with a universal unit converter
Spirograph
Draw harmonograph patterns from motion and frequency ratios
Gnomons
See number sequences grow into geometric forms
Light & Matter
Cosmos
Astros
Explore the sky above a place, date and time
Lunar
Understand Moon phases through Sun–Earth–Moon geometry
Orbital Resonance
Explore planetary resonance, repeating alignments and orbital patterns
Earth Grid
Explore geometry on and inside a three-dimensional Earth
Gravity Sandbox
Experiment with mass, velocity and gravitational orbits
Cosmic Scale
Build an intuition for size and orders of magnitude
Time Calculator
Calculate dates, elapsed time and durations