Cymatics is the study of basic principles of acoustic vibrations creating patterns in objects. We could say it is more of an art form or a tool to create art, but not that much of a science. You probably have seen principles of cymatics being used before – some seeds or sand on a metal plate attached to a speaker create patterns when sounds are being played. Now Jaguar decided to show a piece of cymatic art created by its impressive F-Type SVR.
Cymatics allow creating almost mandala-like patterns on vibrating plates. They appear because vibration waves are not equal and they also collide each other, creating some areas on the plate with lower vibration. In these areas, seeds, liquid or sand remain calmer and thus patterns are created. It is usually employed to create some visual effects for video art. For example, this 2014 video has more than 13 million views – people love seeing cymatic effects and sometimes struggle to believe that they are actually real and not created with the help of some editing software.
The Jaguar F-Type SVR is an extremely fast vehicle with a very distinctive character. It is aggressive and unforgiving, but also elegant in its own unique way – two traits that only a handful of automotive companies are capable of combining. The engine noise is a big part of its character – it is loud and raspy. And, of course, has pops and crackles in all the right spots. Jaguar then decided to showcase the sound of the F-Type SVR in this creative clip, using cymatics to visualize the different resonances playing in the roar of the 5 litre V8 engine.
Seeds were used in this case because they are larger than grains of sand and bounce a little more. The behind the scenes video revealed that everything was real, no post-production trickery was involved. Jaguar revealed that the sound is extremely important for the brand cars. In fact, the designing of the sound starts almost as soon as the new project is conceived – it is that big part of a car’s character. Of course, the F-Type SVR in the clip has an impressive titanium exhaust system, which enhances the noise of the engine that much more.
The Jaguar F-Type SVR is one of the best sounding cars currently available on the market. It has lots more to offer than that deafening roar, but, without it, this Jag would not be the same. Other performance cars from the company are sound-focused too. That makes us wonder – will we lose too much when the electric car era finally comes?
