Pitch Lab
by ArcadeLabA pluckable string that lets kids see and hear pitch at the same time. Pluck it and the string vibrates with a visible wobble while a tone plays. Slide the length and tension controls: a shorter or tighter string vibrates faster, wobbles quicker, and sounds higher; a longer or looser string is slower and lower. The motion you watch and the note you hear always match — the secret behind every guitar, piano, and violin.
Frequently asked
What makes a sound high or low?
Pitch depends on how fast something vibrates. Fast vibrations make a high sound; slow vibrations make a low sound. The number of vibrations each second is called the frequency.
How do length and tension change the pitch?
A shorter string or a tighter (higher-tension) string vibrates faster, so the pitch goes up. A longer or looser string vibrates slower, so the pitch goes down. Instruments are tuned by adjusting exactly these things.
Why does the audio only start after I tap?
Web browsers block sound until you interact with the page, to stop sites from playing noise on their own. Tapping or plucking the string is what switches the audio on.