Jump to content

That annoying Doppler effect


Recommended Posts

Sometimes, when I sit in my living room and practice, I can hear higher pitched warbling notes. At first I thought there was something amiss with the reeds, then I realized it only happens when the ceiling fan is on. Apparently the fan blades are angled just right to reflect the sound back to me and the spinning of the blades speeds up the wavelength creating a higher pitched sound. (Doppler effect) My wife, poor thing, sitting 6 feet away and at 90 degrees to me can't hear this. I just wondered if anyone else has witnessed such a phenomenon or am I finally on my way to the funny farm. :blink:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest Mick Diles
Sometimes, when I sit in my living room and practice, I can hear higher pitched warbling notes. At first I thought there was something amiss with the reeds, then I realized it only happens when the ceiling fan is on. Apparently the fan blades are angled just right to reflect the sound back to me and the spinning of the blades speeds up the wavelength creating a higher pitched sound. (Doppler effect) My wife, poor thing, sitting 6 feet away and at 90 degrees to me can't hear this. I just wondered if anyone else has witnessed such a phenomenon or am I finally on my way to the funny farm. :blink:

Have a look at this thread.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Oddly enough last night we were tidying up in the attic rom with the ceiling fan on when Anne discovered an old school recorder and started to play it. The doppler effect was even stronger than for the concertina, but particularly on certain notes.

 

Robin Madge

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Admin note (wearily): While this is a fascinating topic, in the past for some reason it has led to vociferous arguments. That is silly, and if they recur I will shut down the topic. So, my esteemed armchair physicists, remember humility and manners in your posts (as do nearly all the professional physicists I work with), thanks.

 

Ken

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Admin note (wearily): While this is a fascinating topic, in the past for some reason it has led to vociferous arguments. That is silly, and if they recur I will shut down the topic. So, my esteemed armchair physicists, remember humility and manners in your posts (as do nearly all the professional physicists I work with), thanks.

 

Ken

In that case, I will simply and calmly point out that while the ceiling fan effect is a very real phenomenon, it has nothing to do with the doppler effect.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Admin note (wearily): While this is a fascinating topic, in the past for some reason it has led to vociferous arguments. That is silly, and if they recur I will shut down the topic. So, my esteemed armchair physicists, remember humility and manners in your posts (as do nearly all the professional physicists I work with), thanks.

 

Ken

I can't imagine a topic as cerebral as this getting rudely out of hand, after all, we are all sensible adults here. B)

 

 

In that case, I will simply and calmly point out that while the ceiling fan effect is a very real phenomenon, it has nothing to do with the doppler effect.

Says you!! PTHPTHPTHPTH! <_<

 

;) :) :P

 

Discalimer: That, of course, was done tongue-in-cheek. I really don't care what causes it, I'm just glad I'm not hearing things. I'm also glad everyone here seems to have a sense of humor. Otherwise I'd have been kicked out long ago and I wouldn't want that, I kinda like it here. If it weren't for my sense of humor, I'd have no personality at all. :(

I also read the thread posted above and found many good arguments...or should I say differences in opinion, as to the cause.

I am sorry, however, if I've reopened a can of worms. :ph34r: I could probably spend quite some time agreeing with and disputing the different ideas, but from what I've seen, most are pretty stedfast in their beliefs so it probably would be redundant and a waste of good forum space.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Says you!! PTHPTHPTHPTH! <_<

 

;) :) :P

 

Discalimer: That, of course, was done tongue-in-cheek...

 

How do you do that with your tongue in your cheek? I find I have to protrude mine between my lips.

 

And do you notice it sounds different depending on whether you're coming or going?

 

:wacko:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Admin note (wearily): While this is a fascinating topic, in the past for some reason it has led to vociferous arguments. That is silly, and if they recur I will shut down the topic. So, my esteemed armchair physicists, remember humility and manners in your posts (as do nearly all the professional physicists I work with), thanks.

 

Ken

I can't imagine a topic as cerebral as this getting rudely out of hand, after all, we are all sensible adults here. B)

 

 

In that case, I will simply and calmly point out that while the ceiling fan effect is a very real phenomenon, it has nothing to do with the doppler effect.

Says you!! PTHPTHPTHPTH! <_<

 

;) :) :P

 

Discalimer: That, of course, was done tongue-in-cheek. I really don't care what causes it, I'm just glad I'm not hearing things. I'm also glad everyone here seems to have a sense of humor. Otherwise I'd have been kicked out long ago and I wouldn't want that, I kinda like it here. If it weren't for my sense of humor, I'd have no personality at all. :(

I also read the thread posted above and found many good arguments...or should I say differences in opinion, as to the cause.

I am sorry, however, if I've reopened a can of worms. :ph34r: I could probably spend quite some time agreeing with and disputing the different ideas, but from what I've seen, most are pretty stedfast in their beliefs so it probably would be redundant and a waste of good forum space.

 

 

When you had your tongue in your cheek, were you sitting under a ceiling fan? I think I noticed a fluctuation in your "PTHPTHPTHPTH!" :P

 

 

Dan Madden

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When you had your tongue in your cheek, were you sitting under a ceiling fan? I think I noticed a fluctuation in your "PTHPTHPTHPTH!" :P

 

Dan Madden

 

I think I'll try going "PTHPTHPTHPTH!" while playing to see if the air flow variations give the same effect. If that doesn't work, I'll just have to stand in front of a speeding train to see if the pitch changes when it goes by. Of course I'll have to lay down as it passes over and stand back up and play again as it goes away from me. I'll let you know how that turns out. If you don't hear from me, it probably wasn't good.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...