The six computers in Clapp 420 have some special programs intended for experimenting with sounds. Be sure the speakers are switched on and that the volume is at an appropriate level when you use them. All of them run under Matlab, so you must start Matlab (find the icon on the sidebar, or look for it in its own subdirectory). After Matlab starts, enter the command "cd sound" -- this changes the subdirectory to the SOUND subdirectory.
1. Using SYNTHESIZER, try to synthesize a vowel sound, like "eeee" or "ahhh". Record the values that gave your best result, and try to describe how it seemed to differ from the sound you wanted, and what kinds of changes seemed to bring it closer to the desired sound. Amplitudes should be around 1 or less in order not to be too loud to play.
2. It is said that we hear not only the frequencies present in a sound, but also the DIFFERENCE frequencies. An example of this phenomenon is the "omitted fundamental." If you synthesize a sound out of frequencies 600 Hz, 900 Hz, and 1200 Hz, you might hear 300 Hz! Check this out experimentally and describe what you did and what you found.
3. If it is true that we hear difference frequencies, then you can imagine the following improbable scenario: a sound which is a sum of two sounds, one sliding down and one at a fixed higher frequency might sound like a sound sliding UP! (Because the difference frequency would be INCREASING). Use "slider" to make the two sounds, then add them and play them. Adding them requires a command like "totalsound=sound1+sound2". Then you would play "totalsound" with "sounder." Describe what sounds you used and what you actually heard.