Cymatics - Frequently asked questions

Q: What is Cymatics?

"Nothing tends so much to the advancement of knowledge as the application of a new instrument." Sir Humphry Davy (Michael Faraday's mentor)

A: Cymatics is the science of sound made visible.

It is based on the principle that when sound encounters a membrane such as your skin or the surface of water, it imprints an invisible pattern of energy. In other words, the periodic vibrations in the sound sample are converted and become periodic water ripples, creating beautiful geometric patterns that reveal the once hidden realm of sound. If we could see the sounds around us with our eyes we would see myriads of holographic bubbles, each with a kaleidoscopic-like pattern on its surface. The CymaScope, in a sense, allows us to image a circular section through a holographic sound bubble. Developed by John Stuart Reid in the UK, the CymaScope reveals the once hidden realm of sound. The CymaScope, like the invention of the microscope and telescope, opens a realm not previously suspected to exist; a whole new world of visible sound.

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A: Cymatics is the name coined by Hans Jenny (1904-1972), a Swiss physician and natural scientist, to describe visible sound. Considered the father of cymatics, he laid important foundations for this emergent science. Jeff Volk of Macromedia Publishing has single-handedly championed Hans Jenny and republished Jenny’s 1970’s book "Cymatics: A Study of Wave Phenomena."

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A: Sound vibrations imprint geometric patterns of energy on a surface, such as a plate, membrane, or diaphragm, even on your skin or the surface of water. Each sound creates a unique pattern.

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A: Developed by John Stuart Reid, in the UK, the CymaScope is a scientifically designed unit that reveals the geometry within sound. Just as the microscope and telescope opened new realms, the CymaScope reveals the hidden realm of sound.

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A: A CymaScope makes sound visible.

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A: When sound meets a membrane it imprints a geometric pattern. The CymaScope imprints sound on the surface tension of water. Each pattern is unique, determined by the nature of the sound and other factors such as the tension and nature of the membrane. The patterns are usually invisible to the unaided eye but the CymaScope uses special lighting techniques to make them visible.

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A: It is a vibration that causes the pattern. Sound is an air-borne phenomenon but when sound enters a denser medium, such as a membrane, it becomes a vibration in that medium. A vibration can be thought of as a mechanical movement of a membrane.

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A: CymaScope is an instrument used for the visual study a wide range of sounds, for example, of human sounds, sounds of cells, animal sounds, bird sounds, sounds of sea creatures, sounds from space and musical instrument sounds. A CymaScope can also be used to study linguistics.

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A:  The term “sound wave” is a misnomer since all audible sounds are bubble-shaped. If we could see sound with our eyes, we would not see waves, as is commonly believed, but beautiful holographic bubbles, each with a shimmering kaleidoscopic-like pattern on its surface.
See our physics section for more information.

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A: With the success of his experiments in the Great Pyramid of Giza, Egypt, John Stuart Reid realized that cymatics was a tool that could assist his acoustics research and he built an early CymaScope named the "Dodecadon." Collaborating with design engineer Erik Larson in the US, the Dodecadon was enhanced and refined using sacred geometry, and the first CymaScope was completed and demonstrated at the Sound Healing Conference in October of 2006 in Atlanta.

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A: Cymatic images, sometimes called CymaGlyphs, are captured using a conventional digital camera or camcorder, as they appear on the surface of pure water.. We use monochromatic light as the disclosing medium. See this beautiful example of human voice made visible.

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A: The CymaScope is an analog instrument and doesn't use software.

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A: A CymaScope went on display in 2007 at the !Explora! Museum in Albuquerque, USA, where museum visitors can experience seeing their own voice, along with other sounds. All other CymaScopes are currently in private use.

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A: Sound lies at the heart of every aspect of Nature, underpinning all of Creation. The new science of visual sound—cymatics—will, in the future, enable humanity to understand far more about our world and Universe than we ever could with conventional instrumentation. That is why the CymaScope, and the science of cymatics, is so important. Dr. Emoto demonstrated the effect that sound can have on water and since our body is comprised mainly of water it is clear that the sound environment is important to our health.

We predict that cymatics will become an important tool for the study of disease, via sonocytology, and as a therapy for disease support.

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A: Applications of cymatics are beginning to emerge for almost every aspect of human endeavour, from asteroseismology—the study of the sonic signatures of stars—to zoology, the study of animal sounds—and a wide range of other scientific disciplines highlighted on our web site.

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A: Sonic Age America, in collaboration with Jack Kassewitz in Florida, is beginning to decipher dolphin language by building a lexicon of dolphin picture words. Dolphins can see with sound and when they echolocate on an object we can record the reflections and image them on the CymaScope.

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A: In 1996 English acoustics engineer John Stuart Reid experienced the extraordinary resonant qualities of the granite sarcophagus in the King's Chamber in the Great Pyramid of Giza. He concluded that the Egyptians may have employed acoustics principles to design the King's Chamber and its sarcophagus as part of a resurrection ritual. In his search for a scientific tool to explore the inherent resonances of the sarcophagus he came across cymatics, a method that would visually reveal the resonances. He returned to the pyramid in 1997 to conduct a series of cymatics experiments that proved to be highly successful. See our Egyptology section for more information.

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A: John says he sometimes feel like a child treading on new fallen snow--walking a path where no one has been before—“every day in the lab we see sounds that have never been seen before. It is a great privilege to assist in the emergence of a new frontier in research—to be part of scientific history in the making. Cymatics is an enormously exciting new field of science”. The new science of visual sound—cymatics—will, in the future, enable humanity to understand far more about our world and Universe than we ever could conventional instrumentation. The CymaScope, and the science of cymatics provides an important new aspect of future scientific research. A hugely exciting journey of exploration lies before us with the CymaScope, creating benefits for our children and our children’s children.

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A: We are essentially a research organization studying sound and its effect on inanimate and animate matter. Our sales division sells cymatic art to help support our research.

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A: To assist in your chosen field of study or for the joy of seeing your favorite music made visible.

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A: In its present form the CymaScope is not designed as a therapeutic instrument although a T-CymaScope is under development.

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A: CymaScope technology is patented in several countries. Prospective licensees may apply here.
The names “CymaScope,” “CymaGlyph” and “CymaArt” are registered trade marks.

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About Voice Mandalas and Personal Cymatic Imaging

A: Yes. We make cymatic images directly from your voice recording. Your cymatic image is unique to you. Celebrate your own harmonic beauty with a Voice Mandala.

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A: We offer an accessibly priced laboratory service for imaging any sound. Celebrate the spirit of your dog, cat or baby. Or have your favorite music made visible.

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