“There is geometry in the humming of the strings. There is music in the spacing of the spheres.”
— Pythagoras
Perfect Fifths
The Perfect Fifth is a musical interval that is often experienced as calming and harmonizing. In music, it forms the basis of harmony, resulting in a sound that feels balanced and stable.
The discovery of musical intervals for healing is credited to Pythagoras (569 - 475 B.C.E.). Pythagoras believed that everything, from planets to atoms, has its own sound and vibration which together form a universal harmony.
While early philosophies described sound in universal terms, my own work approaches musical intervals as experiential tools, felt through listening and attention to the nervous system and corresponding responses.
Listen to your favorite movie soundtrack and you can sense how intervals create tension, excitement, resolution. The first two notes of the Star Wars theme (perfect fifth) feel very different from Jaws (minor second).
In my own practice, I combine different intervals to create a sound journey supporting each client’s wellness intentions. While the journey is different every time, the Perfect Fifth is a staple in all of my sessions, as it can reduce anxiety and create a sense of relaxation, balance, and calm.
Want to experience the power of the perfect fifth for yourself? Hold these C&G tuning forks, one in each hand. Tap them on a semi-hard surface (your knee, a hockey puck) and bring one fork to each ear. Hold them until the sound fades out. Switch hands and repeat. Take a moment to breathe and notice how much calmer and centered you feel from just a moment before.
Further reading: Modern-day tuning fork pioneer John Beaulieu studied how each interval affects us on all levels - emotionally, mentally and physically - relating each interval to different elements. He writes about his work in his book, Human Tuning: Sound Healing with Tuning Forks, which I recommend as a resource for anyone interested in this topic.
