A History of the Spectrum
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This chapter traces the history of spectral audio, from Ancient Greece to the 20th century. Looking first at the first studies of ratios and pitch and the establishment of the early musical scale systems, then through the development of musical instruments, the chapter discusses the most important achievements in musical acoustics that led to the modern concept of the spectrum. It discusses the ideas put forward by Classical Physics, which culminated in the work of Fourier. The seminal discoveries and ideas proposed by Helmholtz are covered in some detail and the chapter closes with an overview of acoustics and audio engineering in the 20th century, and the development of electronic and computer music.