whats the difference between random noise and music, scientifically ?

Question

Both noise and musical notes are soundwaves, how are they different ?

Answer 1

when the frequencies of pure notes are in certain fractional relationships relative to each other they sound pleasant. If the frequency of a note is twice that of the previous note, it is an octave higher. There are other ratio's such as 3/5, 4/5 and multiples of such. The just scale is an approximation where there are 12 notes per octave, each one being a twelfth root of two multiple of the previous one.
An instrument is made of many notes and tones which have have pleasant sounding frequency ratio's, but there resulting in a primary note. Just like water waves there is constructive interference as well as destructive which is quite noticeable to the ear even if we are not conscience of the reason.
Notice that there are also ratios between beats, being a whole note, half note, eight, etc. This is a binary ratio system, different from that above.
What you are listening to is mathematics.

Answer 2

They are soundwaves, but the type soundwaves are much different. Music has a wave with certain harmonics [integer multiples of the wave frequency] added to make a pleasant sound. Noise has no fundamental base and any wave-length is imposed on it, so it is not pleasant.

Answer 3

The only difference is in the listener's definition of music.

Some people think that classical music is music, and rap is not. Some people think that music has to be created with instruments, and that computer generated music isn't really music.

20th century composer John Cage not only believed that all sounds were music, but silence, or the absence of sound, is also music. And since we are never completely in silence, we are always surrounded by music.

Whether it is a Bach Cantata, a Metallica single, or a waterfall, maybe a tin can falling down some stairs, it just depends on your definition of music.

Hope this helps! :-)

Answer 4

White noise has uniform power density across the entire audible spectrum. By definition, there is no pattern. Music or communication requires a pattern. Music combines sounds of various frequencies in various temporal patterns. Whether a particular choice of sounds is pleasing to you is largely a matter of culture and experience. You can argue whether a particular set of choices is pleasing to you, or whether you even consider it music. But without a pattern, it's definitely not music.

Answer 5

both are soundwaves...but noise refers to the unwanted sound waves ....and music refers to soundwaves produced intentionally and with a rythm....music can be noise to some people...

Answer 6

Music has certain autocorrelation properties that noise lacks. For example, it has rhythm. Music is pleasing, and noise is not. Any "music" I make will be considered by most people to be noise.

Answer 7

Harmony
Unity
Balance
Contrast
Rhythm