What is the overtone series and how does it function in music?

by rhoftonphoto

Question by Thomas: What is the overtone series and how does it function in music?

I have looked every where on the internet and I only came across definitions that made no sense or were very complicated. Please tell me what the overtone series is and how it functions in music in the most simple of terms(I know nothing about music).




Best answer:

Answer by a simple man
Overtones are the notes that contribute to the base note of instrument.
The instruments that have strings have overtones that a multiples of integers like 1,2,3,4,5 times the base tone. The string has fixed nodes on the ends a can only vibrate in frequencies that have nodes at the ends. So the string can be divided by integers leading to overtones that are integer multiples of the base note.
The instruments based on two open end tubes like trumpet have overtones of the series 1, 2, 3, 4. The tubes are open on both ends and the nodes are not fixed, the anti-nodes fixed at both ends meaning the resonant notes are based on one node in the center, (which is the base note) the next note (the first overtone) has two nodes in the middle (and anti-node at the end). The next overtone has three nodes
Here is a good explanation: of open and closed tubes
http://www.phys.unsw.edu.au/jw/flutes.v.clarinets.html

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