The Physics of Music: Integrating the Technical and Artistic Aspects of Creating Music

Contents

• 1 Introduction
• 1.1 Overview of book
• 1.2 Motivation for the text
• 1.3 Role of Music in Society
• 1.4 Role of Physics in Society
• 1.5 Role of Physics in Acoustics
• 2 Structure of Music
• 2.1 Basic Language
• 2.2 Mathematics of Music
• 2.3 Sound and Feeling
• 2.4 Basic Elements of Music
• 2.5 Brief History of Musical Styles
• 2.6 Summary/Discussion/Problems
• 3 Physics Concepts
• 3.1 Physical Variables in Musical Acoustics
• 3.2 Wave Properties
• 3.3 Advanced Concepts
• 3.4 Summary/Discussion/Problems
• 4 Instrument Groups
• 4.1 Common Features of All Instruments
• 4.2 Overview of Brass, Strings, Woodwinds, Percussion, Voice and Elec-
• tronic instruments
• 4.3 Discussion topics and Problems
• 5 Brass Instruments
• 5.1 History of brass instruments
• 5.2 Summary of key properties
• 5.3 Description of operation-Source, Medium and Interface
• 5.4 Unique characteristics of brass instruments
• 5.5 Discussion topics and problems
• 6 Stringed Instruments
• 6.1 History of stringed instruments
• 6.2 Summary of key properties
• 6.3 Description of operation-Source, Medium and Interface
• 6.4 Unique characteristics of stringed instruments
• 6.5 Discussion topics and problems
• 7 Woodwind Instruments
• 7.1 History of woodwind instruments
• 7.2 Summary of key properties
• 7.3 Description of operation-Source, Medium and Interface
• 7.4 Unique characteristics of woodwind instruments
• 7.5 Discussion topics and problems
• 8 Percussion
• 8.1 History of percussion instruments
• 8.2 Summary of key properties
• 8.3 Description of operation-Source, Medium and Interface
• 8.4 Unique characteristics of percussion instruments
• 8.5 Discussion topics and problems
• 9 Voice
• 9.1 Summary of key properties
• 9.2 Description of operation-Source, Medium and Interface
• 9.3 Unique characteristics of voices
• 9.4 Discussion topics and problems
• 10 Electronic Instruments
• 10.1 History of electronic instruments
• 10.2 Summary of key properties
• 10.3 Description of operation-Source, Medium and Interface
• 10.4 Unique characteristics of electronic instruments
• 10.5 Discussion topics and problems
• 11 Room and Venue Acoustics
• 11.1 Appropriate characteristics for room acoustics
• 11.2 Interference and Di_raction of Sound
• 11.3 Calculation of Reverberation Time and Sound Travel
• 12 Connecting the Concepts
• 12.1 Orchestration
• 12.2 Musical Interpretation
• 12.3 Connecting Project Ideas