How are tuning forks used?
English musician John Shore invented the tuning fork in 1711. While regularly used to tune musical instruments, we have put the fork to use in ways that John Shore likely never dreamed possible.The ScienceSound is vibration traveling through air. Pitch is how quickly something vibrates. A tuning fork has a handle that splits into two prongs. Striking the tuning fork causes the prongs to vibrate, producing a humming sound. The length of the prongs determines the pitch: the shorter the prong, the higher the note.Hearing TestsNormal hearing captures sound through air conduction and through bones associated with the ear (bone conduction). Tapping the tuning fork and holding it near the ear tests air conduction. Tapping the fork and touching it to the bone behind the ear (mastoid) tests bone conduction.Keeping TimeComputers and some watches have tiny tuning forks inside that vibrate at a specific rate. A sensor counts the vibrations. When a specific number have occurred, a specific time, su
Today, a tuning fork does have a musical use, however: it can be used to set the pitch for performers or instruments. For example, a tuning fork may be used by a conductor or performer to set an accurate pitch for a musical performance of an a cappella group. Often, one pitch is struck and the conductor or the various vocal parts figure out their pitch based on the struck pitch. If the piece has several movements, pitches may be given before the start of each new section. There are other musical uses as well. A set of tuning forks, or a tuning fork for middle C and a good ear, can be used to tune a piano, although electronic tuners have become popular. Timpanists use a pitch pipe or a set of tuning forks to tune the timpani. For musical purposes, tuning forks are readily available at pitch A-440, as well as middle C, and sets are available for the notes of the C major scale as well as the chromatic scale.
