Physics and Music?

Question

a) 246.94Hz, 220.00Hz, 261.63Hz, and H.

This is supposed to be a composer, but I don't know how.

b) 440.00Hz, 523.25Hz, and 659.26Hz

How are these three frequencies related?

Answer 1

(a) is an old musical joke. H is an old German notation for B-natural. Johann Sebastian B - A - C - H worked that sequence (that is, B-flat, A, C, B-natural) into many of his works.

(b) This sequence is A4 - C5 - E5, which spells "ace" and is a minor triad (the i chord in A-minor and vi chord in C major).