Pendulum
See rhythm and phase in a musical pendulum wave
See how slightly different pendulum periods create changing phase patterns and eventual reunions. Use their crossings to generate musical sequences.
Key idea
Phase describes where an oscillator is within its cycle. Pendulums with different periods drift out of alignment even when released together. Their coordinated periods allow the installation to return to an aligned configuration.
Try this first
Start the pendulums together and watch their alignment change. Look for moments when neighboring pendulums seem to trace a wave, then listen to the notes triggered as they cross the sound line. Their changing pattern comes from different periods, not from pendulums pushing one another.
How to get started
- Start the pendulums and watch how their phases separate.
- Find the sound line and listen to the sequence of crossings.
- Change one available setting at a time and compare the resulting pattern.
Explore a little further
Try another experiment
Choose one pendulum and follow it through several crossings rather than watching the entire group. Then watch the group again. Can you distinguish the motion of each pendulum from the apparent wave traveling across them?
Good to know
The musical notes and mechanical swing periods play different roles: the notes are triggered by crossings, not a recording of a physical pendulum sound. Lite keeps a limited set of controls.
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