NS 3100 - Acoustics of Music

Credits: 3

In this junior-level science course, students learn the physical properties of sound waves— how sound travels through a medium, how objects emit and absorb sound, how sound waves are measured, transduced, and represented, and how musical objects and ideas work to shape acoustic reality. The course focuses on developing a physical understanding of musical phenomena, the characteristics of musical instruments, and sound reflection and absorption in rooms and listening spaces. Through lectures, demonstrations, technical exercises, and applied acoustic and digital audio experiments, students learn to describe, manipulate, and predict the behavior of sound waves in both real and computer modeled environments. Students learn the physical basis of particular acoustic phenomena in music, including resonance, echo, reverberation, complex spectra, filtering, phase cancellation, Doppler effect, and amplification. Students also develop a scientific understanding of key musical concepts, such as tuning, harmony, and instrument design based on acoustic principles. Upon completion of the course, students will understand the basic science that governs musical practice and technology and be able to apply foundational knowledge of acoustics toward the creation of new instruments and sound manipulation tools.

Course Learning Outcomes:

Explain how sound propagates through a medium and how musical instruments work to emit sound.
Formulate sound absorption plans for different rooms and listening spaces.
Demonstrate an acoustical understanding of tuning, scales, harmony, and common musical effects.
Create a musical instrument.