
The SciencesNovember 1, 1982
The Physics of Kettledrums
The vibrations of a violin string form a harmonic series with a distinct pitch. The vibrations of an ideal membrane do not form such a series. How, then, can a kettledrum have a pitch?

The Physics of Kettledrums
The vibrations of a violin string form a harmonic series with a distinct pitch. The vibrations of an ideal membrane do not form such a series. How, then, can a kettledrum have a pitch?