Fractal Music


Pulse Trains

To help appreciate the phenomenon of multiple pulse trains, we will listen to a Scottish dance by Beethoven, his Ecossaise in E.

Here are four versions, each with a percussive sound added to mark the indicated pulse.

whole note
half note
quarter note
eighth note

One interesting characteristic of pulse trains is that the frequency we hear is the one on which we choose to focus. If we think of focusing in terms of zooming in or out, then we have a good analogy to the way we view fractal graphics; the greater the magnification, the more features we find.

Return to Pulse Trains.

© 2004 Harlan Brothers