Põhifrekwents

Põhifrekwents, meaning fundamental frequency in Estonian, refers to the lowest frequency of a periodic waveform. This is the base frequency upon which other frequencies, known as harmonics or overtones, are built. In acoustics, the fundamental frequency determines the perceived pitch of a sound. For example, when a musical instrument produces a note, the fundamental frequency is the primary component that our ears identify as the pitch of that note.

The concept of fundamental frequency is crucial in various fields. In music, it dictates the musical note being played. In speech, it is a key characteristic of vocalization and is important for understanding intonation and voice quality. In engineering, particularly in signal processing and telecommunications, understanding the fundamental frequency is essential for analyzing and manipulating complex signals.

Harmonics are integer multiples of the fundamental frequency. If the fundamental frequency is f, then the harmonics are 2f, 3f, 4f, and so on. The combination and relative strengths of these harmonics, along with the fundamental frequency, contribute to the timbre or unique sound quality of an instrument or voice. When a sound is not purely sinusoidal, the fundamental frequency is still the lowest frequency component that repeats periodically. Identifying and isolating the fundamental frequency is a common task in audio analysis.