I'd like for this to be how a small species communicates with a giant species. I was assuming a series of tunnels would carry the sound like a pipe organ.
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$\begingroup$ Potentially of interest: how did ancient theaters work without sound amplification? See "Acoustic diffraction effects at the Hellenistic amphitheater of Epidaurus: Seat rows responsible for the marvelous acoustics" by Nico F. Declercq and Cindy S. A. Dekeyser, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 121 (4), April 2007. $\endgroup$– AlexPSep 7, 2017 at 20:45
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3$\begingroup$ Definitely of interest: mole crickets, which burrow into the ground and make acoustical horns from the earth through which they sing to attract females. $\endgroup$– Chris M.Sep 7, 2017 at 20:51
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4$\begingroup$ How small and how large? There's a limit to how (e.g.) megaphones work. Your initial sound only has so much energy with which to push air. A megaphone is basically trading frequency for volume, resulting in lower frequency sound ... as the megaphone gets larger, the energy runs out and no sound comes out of the megaphone (I'm assuming the megaphone adheres to the math of conical amplification regardless its size). $\endgroup$– JBHSep 8, 2017 at 4:08
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1$\begingroup$ I think this question is unclear. Do you want to know if it would accomplish your goal, do you want to know how an unspecified species would dig tunnels through rock, do you want to know about a rock organ (deep purple for example uses that one), do you want to know about everyday complications (for example transporting) ... $\endgroup$– Raditz_35Sep 8, 2017 at 12:12
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$\begingroup$ Can you clarify what you want to ask? The body of the question gives off an impression of asking different question than the title $\endgroup$– VylixOct 12, 2017 at 11:52
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2 Answers
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I'm not certain the effect is quite what you're describing, but this reminds me of the Hypogeum of Hal-Saflieni.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C4%A6al-Saflieni_Hypogeum
The structure is designed in a way that produces strange acoustic properties. If a person speaks while standing in the right spot in a certain room niches in the walls amplify the sound; they can be heard throughout the entire structure.
answered Sep 21, 2017 at 19:11
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I'm thinking an alphorn or even a blowhorn design. The opening where they speak into is extremely small, just big enough for your creature's mouth, and then it's a smooth tunnel until the opening. I don't know enough to comment on whether the tunnel has to gradually enlarge or enlarge all at once like an alphorn, but I do know it has to be smooth all the way through, any imperfection is going to damage the initial message.
