The Road That Makes Music Musical roads work by carving carefully spaced grooves into the pavement so that when car tires roll over them, they vibrate at specific frequencies that our ears perceive as musical notes. The pitch depends on how frequently the tires hit the grooves: closer spacing produces higher notes, wider spacing produces lower notes, and the melody only sounds correct when drivers travel at the intended speed. The vibrations travel from the tires through the suspension and car b

Why California's musical road sounds terrible - In Lancaster, California, there's a musical road. When you drive over it, it plays the William Tell Overture. Unfortunately, it's out of tune. Here's why. | Tom Scott