Theses and Dissertations
Issuing Body
Mississippi State University
Advisor
Yarahmadian, Shantia
Committee Member
Dang, Hai
Committee Member
Qian, Chuanxi
Date of Degree
5-13-2022
Document Type
Graduate Thesis - Open Access
Major
Mathematics
Degree Name
Master of Science (M.S.)
College
College of Arts and Sciences
Department
Department of Mathematics and Statistics
Abstract
This thesis addresses the question of mathematical involvement in music, a topic long discussed going all the way back to Plato. It details the mathematical construction of the three main tuning systems (Pythagorean, just intonation, and equal temperament), the methods by which they were built and the mathematics that drives them through the lens of a historical perspective. It also briefly touches on the philosophical aspects of the tuning systems and whether their differences affect listeners. It further details the invention of the Fourier Series and their relation to the sound wave to explain the concept of overtones within the tuning systems.
Recommended Citation
DuBose-Schmitt, Michaela, "The mathematical foundation of the musical scales and overtones" (2022). Theses and Dissertations. 5428.
https://scholarsjunction.msstate.edu/td/5428
Included in
Music Theory Commons, Other Mathematics Commons, Other Music Commons