Sound generation

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Sound generation , tone generation or sound generation is the designation for the process with which sound waves are actively generated in the air or another medium . Sound waves with frequencies in the human hearing range are also referred to as tones , sounds or noises . By definition, ultrasound and infrasound are not audible (see psychoacoustics ).

Many physical processes for sound generation (with the exception of noises) have in common that they are periodic processes that generate sound through their oscillation in the surrounding medium . In addition to the sound generation of the voice and musical instruments , sound is generated from many natural ( thunder , wave noise, etc.) and artificial sources ( radio , car tires , aircraft noise , etc.). Technically , a loudspeaker is often used to generate sound .

The term has a special meaning for music . A number of different physical processes are used to generate sound. According to the type of sound generation, musical instrument science distinguishes between the categories idiophones , membranophones , chordophones , aerophones and electrophones .

See also