Musical Sound, Instruments, and Equipment
By (author) Panos Photinos
Publication date:
13 November 2017Publisher
Morgan & Claypool PublishersISBN-13: 9781681746821
Musical Sound, Instruments, and Equipment offers a basic
understanding of sound, musical instruments and music equipment, geared
towards a general audience and non-science majors. The book begins with
an introduction of the fundamental properties of sound waves, and the
perception of the characteristics of sound. The relation between
intensity and loudness, and the relation between frequency and pitch are
discussed. The basics of propagation of sound waves, and the
interaction of sound waves with objects and structures of various sizes
are introduced. Standing waves, harmonics and resonance are explained in
simple terms, using graphics that provide a visual understanding.
The development is focused on musical instruments and acoustics. The construction of musical scales and the frequency relations are reviewed and applied in the description of musical instruments. The frequency spectrum of selected instruments is explored using freely available sound analysis software. Sound amplification and sound recording, including analog and digital approaches, are discussed in two separate chapters. The book concludes with a chapter on acoustics, the physical factors that affect the quality of the music experience, and practical ways to improve the acoustics at home or small recording studios. A brief technical section is provided at the end of each chapter, where the interested reader can find the relevant physics and sample calculations. These quantitative sections can be skipped without affecting the comprehension of the basic material. Questions are provided to test the reader's understanding of the material. Answers are given in the appendix.
The development is focused on musical instruments and acoustics. The construction of musical scales and the frequency relations are reviewed and applied in the description of musical instruments. The frequency spectrum of selected instruments is explored using freely available sound analysis software. Sound amplification and sound recording, including analog and digital approaches, are discussed in two separate chapters. The book concludes with a chapter on acoustics, the physical factors that affect the quality of the music experience, and practical ways to improve the acoustics at home or small recording studios. A brief technical section is provided at the end of each chapter, where the interested reader can find the relevant physics and sample calculations. These quantitative sections can be skipped without affecting the comprehension of the basic material. Questions are provided to test the reader's understanding of the material. Answers are given in the appendix.