Sound Waves
Ramzi Khalife


Between Western and Middle-Eastern Sound Waves

Sound is always present around us. However, we forget to look at it from a frequency level perspective. A high volume can have a low sound wave frequency, while the opposite is also true. My research has led me to cymatics, which is the formation of specific shapes obtained by putting sand or salt on a stable surface. This surface is then placed on a speaker emitting a constant sound wave frequency. Through this frequency, we obtain almost the same geometrical and symmetrical shape every time. However, I wondered, what if the frequency was fluctuating, and what if the surface under the salt or sand wasn’t stable? In theory, this would allow me to compare Western and Middle Eastern music through frequencies, and to challenge preconceived ideas about the differences between levantine and Western pop music. Through this study, I noticed that contemporary songs from both parts of the world present interesting similarities.

Ramzi Khalife