The instrument I call the Voice of Reason, that I began to develop in 1970 is to my understanding unique in its ability to supply an acoustical environment which allows the following actions to arise: As we know the Voice of Reason has several tuned keys affixed upon its chamber. A tuned key once struck transfers its harmonic series of notes into the chamber. Given that a standing wave (note) is made up of partials (notes), the lowest partial in that series is the fundamental tone.
First, that vibrational series fundamental now may be focused to its maximum within the chamber by utilizing the Voice of Reasons built in fingering system. A very important transition occurs at this point. A traditional percussion instrument has now also become a unique wind instrument.
Second, when more notes are struck. Those vibrational series combine with the other notes (sine waves) presently vibrating. At this point the chamber amplifies the fundamentals of all the partials vibrating in the chamber as they hold dominants. Thus, causing fundamental tones which were initially not one of the struck keys to manifest and become audible. What I refer to as a free fundamental.
“A manifested energy initiated within the chamber by a grouping of two or more keys. The resulting Free Fundamental is often beyond the instruments otherwise attainable range achievable by its usual means.” (My explanation in the 90’s of what this instrument is doing in real time, uniquely I find, turns out to be the same action deciphered by the mathematician Joseph Fourier in the eighteen hundreds as the “Missing Fundamental Illusion”. I know of no other instrument than the V. of R. which can produce this illusion with so many varied options available in real time.)
The phenomenon again is the tuned sine waves joining in the chamber to become a new series of partials manifesting free tone fundamentals. An example from my Ebony Wood Soprano. Striking the keys (metal strips) which are tuned to F sharp and B in the middle C octave. The electronic tuner registers that I am playing note B two octaves below middle C. This is an obvious free fundamental or missing fundamental illusion. I personally hear all three notes and often the free tone seems to originate from another location in the room.
So, the sine wave both holds its wave form and shares its vibration, combining to establish a free vibrational series fundamental. The Voice of Reason focusing (fingering system) activities are required to bring the free fundamentals fully audible.
Therefore, as I mentioned in the Tenor V. of R. treatise, the Voice of Reason allows one to actually surf on sine waves. As the chamber makes audible a fuller spectrum of the composite vibrations within it. “The surf is up”!
