The Perks of being an Academic Advisor (Thinking about Cymatics)

Recently, I spent the day with my colleague Noah Buntain advising Creative Musical Arts students in the Media and Communications department at MUM. Advising is part of my full time teaching position at the University. I enjoy it because it gives me a chance to get to know the new students and learn more about their backgrounds, interests, performance goals and dreams for the future.

It was a delight to find that one of the things that we all seem to share is an interest in the science of sound. These students, even upon entry into our University, seem to already have a keen appreciation for the deeper values of music. Maharishi Vedic Science teaches us that sound is the basis for all of creation, and that there is a correspondence between the Sanskrit name of an object and the form that the name gives rise to.

In that light,  I was struck by how so many of my students express an interest in mixed media performances - music with visual displays, dance with music, spoken word with music, and all of the above together. The possibilities are endless!  These students' performance goals reminded me of certain studies I have read that show a correspondence between sound and light. … A quick trip to Wikipedia defines "cymatics" as "the study of visible sound and vibration, a subset of modal phenomena." We examine this subject in some of my courses. And for a quick introduction, here is a good source:  Ted Talk by Evan Grant on Cymatics

On my morning off I often review Facebook posts, and today I found this post from from a fellow blogger:  When Science Calls - Piano notes made visible. The source for the blog explains the science behind cymatics in a very creative way. You play the note on the screen to see the corresponding form:  Cymascope.com - Music Made Visible