Sounds are the result of air vibrating, and if they're reproduced at, say, twice the speed that they were originally recorded at, the vibrations hit our ear twice as many times per second – i.e. twice the original frequency, which makes them sound higher in pitch.
- How does pitch change with speed?
- Does higher pitch mean higher speed?
- Why do sped up songs sound better?
How does pitch change with speed?
When we speed up a sound, we increase its frequency and reduce its duration: the sound becomes higher pitched. Conversely, if we slow down a sound, we lower its frequency and increase its duration: the sound becomes lower pitched.
Does higher pitch mean higher speed?
The lower pitch makes the engine reach maximum rpm at slower speeds. Conversely, a higher pitch will deliver greater top speeds, but slower acceleration.
Why do sped up songs sound better?
Groups of higher pitches are easier to separate than lower ones for most of us. Speeding up songs raises the pitch and the relative distance between the notes which translates to more clarity.