Harmonic Series
What It Does
Generates a sequence based on harmonic proportions, where values follow a pattern related to musical harmonics. The node creates a progression where each value is calculated by raising a ratio to a fractional power determined by the index and number of notes.
Inputs
| Name | Description | Type | Required |
|---|---|---|---|
| base | The central value of the series | Number | No |
| stepsDown | Number of steps to generate below the base value | Number | No |
| stepsUp | Number of steps to generate above the base value | Number | No |
| notes | Number of steps that make up a complete octave/cycle | Number | No |
| ratio | The harmonic ratio (typically 2 for musical octaves) | Number | No |
| precision | Number of decimal places to round to | Number | No |
Outputs
| Name | Description | Type |
|---|---|---|
| array | The sequence of values as a simple array | List |
| indexed | The values with their corresponding position indices | List |
How to Use It
- Drag the Harmonic Series node into your graph.
- Set the "base" value (default is 16).
- Set how many steps you want below the base ("stepsDown", default is 0).
- Set how many steps you want above the base ("stepsUp", default is 5).
- Set the "notes" parameter to define the number of divisions in an octave (default is 5).
- Set the "ratio" (default is 2, which creates a standard octave relationship).
- Run the graph—with the default settings, your output will be a series that increases by harmonically related intervals.
Tips
- With ratio=2 and notes=12, you'll get a chromatic musical scale (12 equal divisions of an octave).
- For musical applications, the base is typically a frequency value.
- The harmonic relationship creates a more natural-sounding progression than equal divisions.
See Also
- Geometric Series: For sequences with constant multiplication between terms.
- Arithmetic Series: For sequences with constant addition between terms.
- Exponential Decay: For sequences that gradually decrease according to exponential decay.
Use Cases
- Musical Scales: Generate frequencies for notes in various musical tuning systems.
- Natural Proportions: Create sequences that follow ratios found in nature.
- Harmonic Typography: Design type scales with proportional relationships between sizes.
- Resonant Spacing: Generate spacing values that have harmonic relationships for UI design.