The Cosmic Octave Calculator draws upon the pioneering work of the Swiss mathematician, Hans Cousto. With its capabilities, you can effortlessly transform any period, frequency, or wavelength into musical tuning data, unlocking a harmonious relationship between science and sound. Moreover, it ingeniously computes octave-analogue colour wavelengths along with HEX, RGB, and CMYK colour space codes, adding a vibrant dimension to your exploration of the cosmos.
Please visit Planetware.de for more information about the history and calculations of the Cosmic Octave.
The Panels
Time
Feel free to input any time measurement of your choosing, whether it’s in years, days, hours, minutes, or seconds. Alternatively, you can opt for the convenient orbital period presets, offering a selection of celestial objects within our Solar System. This versatility ensures a seamless and tailored experience to suit your exploration needs.
Embark on a celestial journey with the Solar System Presets, beginning with a spectrum of Sun frequencies that illuminate the heart of our cosmic neighbourhood. From there, delve into the rhythmic orbits of the planets, including notable entities like Pluto among the dwarf planets. Explore a wealth of Earth and Moon periods, offering insights into our own cosmic dance. Furthermore, immerse yourself in the captivating orbits of moons encircling Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune, expanding your understanding of the diverse celestial tapestry that surrounds us.
Press the “Convert” button to start the calculation.
Press the “Reset” button to reset the form.
Frequency
You can enter any frequency and select the unit list of Hz, kHz, MHz, GHz, and THz.
Explore a curated selection of popular frequencies, often championed within the esoteric community for their purported effects, albeit not grounded in natural phenomena like the Schumann Resonance Frequency. While tales abound regarding the potential impacts of these frequencies on one’s well-being, it’s important to note the absence of scientific substantiation for such claims. Nevertheless, within the Cosmic Octave Calculator, these frequencies find a place for exploration, offering an intriguing opportunity to uncover their musical theory underpinnings, transcending mystical narratives and delving into the realm of harmonics and resonance.
Wikipedia about Solfége (Solfeggio): (Wiki link)
In music, solfège (/ˈsɒlfɛʒ/, French: [sɔlfɛʒ]) or solfeggio (/sɒlˈfɛdʒioʊ/; Italian: [solˈfeddʒo]), also called sol-fa, solfa, solfeo, among many names, is a music education method used to teach aural skills, pitch and sight-reading of Western music. Solfège is a form of solmization, though the two terms are sometimes used interchangeably.
Solmization is a system of attributing a distinct syllable to each note of a musical scale.
Press the “Convert” button to start the calculation.
Press the “Reset” button to reset the form.
Wavelength
You can enter any wavelength and select the unit list of nm, µm, mm, cm, m, and km.
Press the “Convert” button to start the calculation.
Press the “Reset” button to reset the form.
Audio Player
Upon calculating the musical tuning data, the resulting Tone Frequency value will be conveniently displayed in the player input field. Additionally, if you desire further exploration, you have the option to input any frequency in Hz (Hertz) and listen to its corresponding sinusoidal waveform generated by the oscillator.
Utilize the Octave -/+ buttons to shift the Tone Frequency up or down by an octave in any direction. Similarly, the Half-Step -/+ buttons allow you to incrementally add or subtract from the Tone Frequency in half-tone steps, following the chromatic 12-tone scale.
Press the “Play/Stop” button to listen to the frequency.
Metronome
You can select the loop length in Bars, from 1 to 16 bars, the length of the tone (1 bar, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, and 1/16), which will get played one time at the beginning of the first bar. The frequency, which will be played is entered in the frequency input field of the audio player and gets automatic filled in after a performed octave calculation. You are also able to enter a desired Tempo in BPM, which the text input field gets loaded with the resulting tempo value of the octave calculation.
Next to the metronome title you see an indicator light, which will light up each time a note is played.
Press the “Start/Stop” button to start and end the metronome loop.
Table of Output Values
The output values dynamically update the output table every time you convert either time, frequency, or wavelength.
The first five table rows showcase the conversion of any time unit into seconds.
Following this, the formula for Frequency f=1/sec (frequency equals 1 divided by seconds) is applied.
Subsequently, the Octave (multiplication or division by 2) is iteratively applied until we achieve a Tone Frequency within the audible range of sound (between 20Hz and 20kHz).
Once the Tone Frequency (Hz = Hertz) is established, the algorithm proceeds to identify the corresponding key within the 12-tone scale and displays it as the Tone Name. Additionally, it calculates the Pitch in Cents of the frequency and determines the Master Tuning in Hertz, relative to the standard 440 Hz tuning. Furthermore, the algorithm computes the octave-analog Tempo (Beats per Minute) and a Delay Time in Milliseconds.
Following the musical data values, the table extends to encompass five additional rows. These rows exhibit the Wavelength value in Nanometers within the visible light spectrum at THz (ranging between 380nm and 750 nm). Moreover, the Color Name and three variations in colourspace—HEX, RGB, and CMYK—are calculated, with the respective colour values filling the adjacent table cells.
Note:
As a note at the end, it’s worth mentioning that the conversion from wavelength to HEX, RGB, and CMYK serves as an approximation rather than a precise representation. However, despite its approximate nature, it’s a useful addition for visual artists and designers looking to define specific colour palettes. This conversion extends the utility of the tool, offering creatives a practical means to explore and define colour schemes aligned with their artistic vision.
KONSTANTIN JAGOULIS
1st of March 2024, Crete