Introductory Musical Acoustics (U01667)

? Credit Points : 10 ? SCQF Level : 8 ? Acronym : PHY-1-IntMusAc

An introduction to the nature of musical sound and the behaviour of musical instruments.

Entry Requirements

? Prohibited combinations : Musical Acoustics (PHY-1-MusAc)

Subject Areas

Home subject area

Undergraduate (School of Physics), (School of Physics, Schedule Q)

Delivery Information

? Normal year taken : 1st year

? Delivery Period : Blocks 1-3

? Contact Teaching Time : 2 hour(s) per week for 11 weeks

? Other Required Attendance : 12 hour(s) per week for 1 weeks

First Class Information

Date	Start	End	Room	Area	Additional Information
22/09/2006	14:00	14:50	Lecture Theatre 4, Appleton Tower	Central

All of the following classes

Type	Day	Start	End	Area
Lecture	Monday	14:00	14:50	Central
Lecture	Friday	14:00	14:50	Central

? Additional Class Information : Semester 1: tutorials 1hr per week in weeks 3,5,7,9,11.
Semester 2: project 12 hrs in week 1, M,Tu,Th,F 1000-1300.

Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course it is intended that students will be able to:
1)describe the vibratory motion of typical musical sound sources, explain what is meant by a travelling wave and a standing wave, and understand and use the formula relating the frequency, wavelength and speed of a sinusoidal sound wave
2)draw a schematic diagram of the human ear, and outline the functions of the different parts of the ear in the hearing process
3)discuss the relationships between the perceived pitch, loudness and timbre of a sound and the objectively measurable properties of the sound wave
4)understand and use the formula giving the pitch interval in cents corresponding to a given frequency ratio
5)understand and use the formula giving the decibel difference between two sounds of a given intensity ratio, and define the Sound Pressure Level of a sound
6)explain how sound is generated, transformed and radiated by bowed and plucked stringed instruments, keyboard stringed instruments, woodwind and brass instruments, percussion instruments, electronic instruments and the human voice
7)state the frequency ratios and the names of the pitch intervals between the first six members of a harmonic series, and explain the relationship between these intervals and the Just Diatonic Scale
8)explain the necessity for temperament in the tuning of keyboard instruments, and discuss the differences between Just Intonation, Mean Tone Temperament and Equal Temperament
9)define the reverberation time of a hall, understand and use a formula relating reverberation time to the volume of the hall and the absorption of its surfaces, and discuss the acoustical properties desirable in concert halls and opera houses
10)measure and comment on the timbre ofmusical instruments, using a laptop computer with frequency analysis software