Published in EAR Magazine, Vol. #2, March 1977 (color added for this web version; originally printed in black and white on paper).
color/pitch equivalents
When audio frequencies are multiplied up to the light range, into angstrom frequencies (really wavelengths) you get:
| herz |
color |
pitch |
| 523 |
yellow |
c |
| 494 |
orange |
b |
| 466 |
|
a# |
| 440 |
|
a |
| 415 |
red |
g# |
| 392 |
|
g |
| 370 |
violet |
f# |
| 349 |
|
f |
| 330 |
|
e |
| 311 |
blue |
d# |
| 294 |
|
d |
| 277 |
green |
c# |
| 262 |
yellow |
c |
It can be noted that the entire portion of the visible spectrum which we mere inferior humans are able to perceive fits neatly into an octave, that the circularity of the color wheel may be not unlike the octave repetitions of sound, and that neither of the things I just said would be considered true if I didn't make the assumption that infra-red and ultra-violet can be regarded as virtually synonymous due to their octave relationship.
But in case this is all in error, I will pass the buck on it by giving credit where credit is due, namely to Helmholtz (Handbuch der physiologischen Optic, 1867, page 237).
- Laurie Spiegel
Copyright ©1987 Laurie Spiegel. All rights reserved.
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