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Harmonic spectrum

A harmonic spectrum is a spectrum containing only frequency components whose frequencies are whole number multiples of the fundamental frequency; such frequencies are known as harmonics. "The individual partials are not heard separately but are blended together by the ear into a single tone."[1]

In other words, if is the fundamental frequency, then a harmonic spectrum has the form


A standard result of Fourier analysis is that a function has a harmonic spectrum if and only if it is periodic.

Fourier series

Harmonic series (music)

Periodic function

Scale of harmonics

Undertone series