Physics And Music The Science of Musical Sound

Principles of Musical Acoustics focuses on the basic principles in the science and technology of music. Musical examples and specific musical instruments demonstrate the principles. The book begins with a study of vibrations and waves, in that order. These topics constitute the basic physical properties of sound, one of two pillars supporting the science of musical acoustics. The second pillar is the human element, the physiological and psychological aspects of acoustical science. The perceptual topics include loudness, pitch, tone color, and localization of sound. With these two pillars in place, it is possible to go in a variety of directions. The book treats in turn, the topics of room acoustics, audio both analog and digital, broadcasting, and speech. It ends with chapters on the traditional musical instruments, organized by family.

Principles of Musical Acoustics focuses on the basic principles in the science and technology of music. Musical examples and specific musical instruments demonstrate the principles.

Tuning the World tells the unknown story of how the musical pitch A 440 became the global norm.

The history of musical instruments is nearly as old as the history of civilization itself, and the aesthetic principles upon which judgments of musical quality are based are intimately connected with the whole culture within which the instruments have evolved. An educated modem Western player or listener can make critical judgments about particular instruments or particular per­ formances but, to be valid, those judgments must be made within the appro­ priate cultural context.

This volume brings new ideas to the conundrum by taking up certain philosophers not usually cited in connection with music and the classical Greek notion of process.
The book explains the state of the art in the use of the discrete Fourier transform (DFT) of musical structures such as rhythms or scales.