Eigendrum - Draw any shape and hear what it sounds like as a drum
Hi HN, I built Eigendrum, a web tool that solves the 2D wave equation for arbitrary shapes so you can hear what they sound like as drums. How it works: * Solves -∇²u = λu using finite element analysis (Kφ = λMφ) on a triangle mesh. * Validated to <0.1% error against closed-form solutions for circles (Bessel zeros) and rectangles. * Sound model factors in strike location, Rayleigh damping, and mallet width. * Includes Kac drums I & II to demonstrate identical sound spectra from different geometries. * No frameworks, build steps, or dependencies. Repo and tests:…
Eigendrum - Draw any shape and hear what it sounds like as a drum launched on August 10, 2026 with 243 votes, #119 of 23,274 launches that month and more than 99% of that year's launches.
In plain words
Eigendrum is a web tool that lets users draw custom shapes and hear them as drums by solving the 2D wave equation through finite element analysis. The tool calculates actual vibration modes based on the drawn shape's geometry rather than using pre-recorded samples, accounting for strike location, damping, and mallet width. It is for anyone curious about the relationship between physical form and sound, validated against mathematical solutions for circles and rectangles. The tool requires no installation or dependencies and runs entirely in the browser.
written from the facts on this page · September 2026
From the sources
Draw any shape and hear it as a drum. Eigendrum solves its real vibration modes with finite elements, so every frequency comes from your outline, not a sample.
Eigendrum is hosted at eigendrum.com. The older address baselashraf81.github.io/eigendrum is a mirror that redirects there, so eigendrum.com is the canonical URL to link to and to cite. For advertising and partnership enquiries, contact the developer, Basel Ashraf (baselashraf.com), at [email protected]. No sound on iPhone or iPad? Check the ring/silent switch and turn up the volume - Safari mutes the drum along with your ringer. × An interactive drumhead. Press Enter or Space to strike it at the marked point, and use the arrow keys to move that point. While drawing is switched on, drag with a pointer to trace a new outline. Every mode is a standing wave this outline permits, and no…from baselashraf81.github.io
In the maker’s words, at launch
Hi HN, I built Eigendrum, a web tool that solves the 2D wave equation for arbitrary shapes so you can hear what they sound like as drums. How it works: * Solves -∇²u = λu using finite element analysis (Kφ = λMφ) on a triangle mesh. * Validated to <0.1% error against closed-form solutions for circles (Bessel zeros)…
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