Harmonic tones are integer multiples of a fundamental frequency

Evidence

Complex tones containing frequencies that are related to each other by integer multiples are called harmonic sounds or harmonic tones. The lowest frequency of a complex tone is the fundamental frequency (f0), and the harmonics occur at integer multiples of the fundamental frequency. There are numerous examples of harmonic sounds in our daily lives, such as vowels and sounds typically generated by stringed, woodwind, and brass musical instruments. — Jennifer Lentz, Psychoacoustics- Perception of Normal…, 1180

Categorization

• DEFINE: Defines harmonic sounds and the fundamental frequency in acoustic terms.
• corroborated: 3 independent passages support this claim — Jennifer Lentz, Psychoacoustics- Perception of Normal…, 1180
• XREF: connects to: Harmonic complex tones dominate daily life through speech and music; The harmonic overtone series of strings is a lucky gift, not a fixable property; Sinusoidal vibration is the fundamental atom of all sound (+14 more)

Broader Connections

• Pitch perception depends on harmonics being integer multiples of the fundamental #corroborates (1.00) — David Howard, Jamie Angus, coustics and Psychoacoustics, 864
• Pitch of harmonic sounds is determined by the fundamental frequency. #expands (0.95) — Jennifer Lentz, Psychoacoustics- Perception of Normal…, 1282
• Musical intervals trace directly to harmonic-series frequency ratios #expands (0.90) — David M. Howard, Jamie Angus, Acoustics and Psychoacoustics, 811
• The number of harmonics audible halves with each octave rise in pitch #expands (0.85)
• Adjacent harmonics of a fundamental produce every familiar musical interval #expands (0.85) — David M. Howard, Jamie Angus, Acoustics and Psychoacoustics, 803
• Musical intervals between adjacent harmonics shrink as harmonic number rises #expands (0.85)
• Chord consonance is maximized when singers’ fundamentals are integer-related harmonics #expands (0.80)
• Chord dissonance rises as harmonic number increases and interval shrinks #expands (0.80) — David M. Howard, Jamie Angus, Acoustics and Psychoacoustics, 998