See sound waves: frequency, amplitude and harmonics, live
A free browser demo of what sound actually is. Play a steady tone and watch the waveform; play higher and the cycles bunch together; play louder and the trace grows. No equipment beyond a laptop.
Who this is for
- Physics and science teachers
- Students working through a sound or waves unit
- Anyone explaining frequency and amplitude to somebody else
Amplitude and frequency on one screen
Oscilloscope draws the pressure wave over time: louder makes the trace taller (amplitude), higher makes the cycles closer together (frequency). Spectrum Bars draws the same sound by frequency instead of time, so a near-pure tone is one peak and a rich tone is a row of them.
Harmonics, and why instruments differ
Play the same note on Keys, then Bell, then Bass. The fundamental stays exactly where it was; the peaks above it change height and number. That stack of overtones is the entire reason two instruments playing one note sound different, and it is right there on the screen.
Standing waves on a plate
Resonance Plate is a Chladni-style scene: the pattern reorganises as the frequency content changes, the way sand rearranges itself on a vibrating plate. Sweep a note up the keyboard and watch the pattern rebuild at each step.
How to do it
- Open BLOOB and press K to play the keys
- Choose Oscilloscope with ← → and hold one note, then the same note an octave up
- Switch to Spectrum Bars and play those notes again to see the same sound by frequency
- Try Resonance Plate, or press M and let the room be the source
Questions people ask about see sound waves
What equipment do I need?
A laptop with speakers. A microphone adds live room sound and a projector turns it into a class demo.
Is this a real analyser?
The spectrum is a real FFT drawn across 96 logarithmic bands with peak holds, and the oscilloscope draws the actual sample buffer. It is a teaching instrument, not a calibrated laboratory meter.
Can students try it themselves?
Yes — the same link works on any device with no account.
Can I record the demo for a lesson?
Yes. Record writes an MP4 or WebM straight to your downloads.
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