Product Description
Landmark book by leading expert, hailed for its astonishingly clear, delightfully readable explication of everything acoustical important to music-making. "Comprehensive...rigorous...well-organized ...will surely be the text of choice."—American Scientist. "Recommended for music lovers and audiophiles"—Stereo Review. Over 300 illustrations. Examples, experiments and questions conclude each chapter.
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Customer Reviews (16)

Toots his horn too much
I was looking for a book to enrich my knowledge of acoustics and musical instruments. Having a BS in mechanical engineering, I am not a stranger to differential equations, but I don't particularly want to spend my leisure time solving them. This book is not for someone like me. This book is for someone who wants to read a novel about musical acoustics. Physical descriptions are not concise, but rife with draw out analogies. The ideas are miles apart. After having read a good deal of technical material I have come to expect a certain cold precision in descriptions of physical phenomena. This book doesn't deliver what I wanted. Now I get to decide if it is really worth the effort of extracting whatever knowledge I can.

Excellent for Musician's
I found this book to be fascinating and fairly easy to read. It comes in handy for me because I'm a musicianwho also makes instruments. It has a lot of examples to solidly explain the idea's.

A useful book for musicians
This is a great book for musicians (or soundpersons) who are not afraid of some high school level physics. Benade, a musician himself, gives details about individual instruments, their playing quirks, and imperfections in intonation. If you like to tinker with instruments, this book is for you. There is an amazing amount of detail. Your respect for instrument designers will grow as you learn about the compromises they must deal with.

Fundamentals of Musical Acoustics
An excellent text for a sound course for both physics majors and other majors.(speech and hearing and music, for example).

Great for instrument makers
A Benade's Fundamentals of musical acoustics is a great book for any musician or instrument maker. Is absolutely affordable for general people, no maths knowledge needed except a very basic. The author has a great writting style that transforms hard concepts into available things

Angel Sampedro del Río, Asociación Argentina de Luthiers ... Read more

Product Description
Musical acoustics presents a unique opportunity to see science and art working together. This book is a balanced presentation of all aspects of musical acoustics. It explains how our ears and brains interpret musical events, and connects traditional physical analyses to musical reality. The purpose of the book is two fold: (1) To help students use simple physical concepts as tools for understanding how music works, and (2) To use students' interest in music to motivate the study and appreciation of scientific methods. Any given chapter will challenge students with several points that are not obvious on the first reading. Starred sections are optional and are not a prerequisite to later sections. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Got it fast, but didn't need it
Ordered the textbook for class and it arrived swiftly, but didn't need it.So I contacted the seller, returned it and received the refund just as fast.Good service!

A must!
An amazing piece for those interested in acoustics and its musical applications. Very well explained and very well organized.

i love this book

It is a nice introductory book both for music and physics.. physics students who are learning wave theory should consider reading at least some chapters of this book..

Great starting point for studying the intersection of science and sound
This book is an excellent starting place for someone who wants a somewhat quantitative treatment of the science of sound as it relates to music, but does not have the advanced math background necessary to digest something like "The Physics of Musical Instruments". The chapters and sections in this third edition are the same as in the previous edition, however some changes have been made to the content. The book is updated with more current references to the end-of-chapter bibliographies, and there is some new material, especially in areas affected by the personal computer's role in the digital processing of sound.

The author provides an integrated understanding of three major areas: the production of sound by various sources, the propagation of sound from source to listener, and the perception of sound by the human brain.
For easier reading, each chapter starts with an introductory section that sets up the chapter. There are also summaries and lists of symbols, terms, and relations highlighting the most important terms and quantitative expressions in each chapter. There are realistic and interesting exercise sets containing both qualitative and quantitative questions for each chapter, with most chapters containing 20-25 exercises. There are also projects included that provide out-of-class assignments that generally require students to do research. There are approximately three of these in each chapter. Finally, several new photographs have been added to this third edition, particularly of the inner ear structure and of the vocal cords in motion.

Like the previous reviewer, I make a habit of purchasing and reading several textbooks a year, and sometimes I am very disappointed and sometimes I am not. This is one of those purchases that I found most worthwhile. If you are interested in the intersection of math, acoustics, perception, and musical instruments I highly recommend it. A math background up to the level of algebra and geometry should be sufficient to understand the quantitative portions of the book. The table of contents is as follows:

1. THE NATURE OF SOUND.
Acoustics and Music. Organizing Our Study of Sound. The Physical Nature of Sound. The Speed of Sound. Pressure and Sound Amplitude.
2. WAVES AND VIBRATIONS.
The Time Element in Sound. Waveforms. Functional Relations. Simple Harmonic Oscillation. Work, Energy, and Resonance.
3. SOURCES OF SOUND.
Classifying Sound Sources. Percussion Instruments. String Instruments. Wind Instruments. Source Size. Sound from the Natural Environment.
4. SOUND PROPAGATION.
Reflection and Refraction. Diffraction. Outdoor Music. The Doppler Effect. Interference and Beats.
5. SOUND INTENSITY AND ITS MEASUREMENT.
Amplitude, Energy, and Intensity. Sound Level and the Decibel Scale. The Inverse-Square Law. Environmental Noise. Combined Sound Levels and Interference.
6. THE HUMAN EAR AND ITS RESPONSE.
The Mechanism of the Human Ear. Limits of Audibility and Discrimination. Characteristics of Steady Single Tones. Loudness and Intensity. Pitch and Frequency. Pitch and Loudness Together. Timbre and Instrument Recognition.
7. ELEMENTAL INGREDIENTS OF MUSIC.
Organizing Musical Events in Time. Melody and Harmony. Scales and Intervals. The Harmonic Series.
8. SOUND SPECTRA AND ELECTRONIC SYNTHESIS.
Prototype Steady Tones. Periodic Waves and Fourier Spectra. Modulated Tones. Electronic and Computer Music.
9. PERCUSSION INSTRUMENTS AND NATURAL MODES.
Searching for Simplicity. Coupled Pendulums. Natural Modes and Their Frequencies. Tuning Forks and Xylophone Bars. Drums, Cymbals, and Bells. Striking Points and Vibration Recipes. Damped Vibrations.
10. PIANO AND GUITAR STRINGS.
Natural Modes of a Thin String. Vibration Recipes for Plucked Strings. Vibration Recipes for the Piano. Piano Scaling and Tuning.
11. THE BOWED STRING.
Violin Construction. Bowing and String Vibrations. Resonance. Sound Radiation from String Instruments.
12. BLOWN PIPES AND FLUTES.
Air Column Vibrations. Fluid Jets and Edgetones. Organ Flue Pipes. Organ Registration and Design. Fingerholes and Recorders. The Transverse Flute.
13. BLOWN REED INSTRUMENTS.
Organ Reed Pipes. The Reed Woodwinds. The Brass Family. Playable Notes and Harmonic Spectra. Radiation.
14. THE HUMAN VOICE.
The Vocal Apparatus. Sound Production. Formants. Special Characteristics of the Singing Voice.
15. ROOM ACOUSTICS.
General Criteria for Room Acoustics. Reverberation Time. Reverberation Calculation. Reverberant Sound Levels. Sound Reinforcement. Spatial Perception.
16. SOUND REPRODUCTION.
Electric and Magnetic Concepts. Transducers. Microphones. Amplifiers. Recording. Loudspeakers. Multiphonic Sound Reproduction.
17. THE EAR REVISITED.
Types of Pitch Judgment. Pitch Perception Mechanisms. Modern Pitch Perception Theory. Critical Bands. Combination Tones. Loudness and Masking. Timbre.
18. HARMONIC INTERVALS AND TUNING.
Interval Perception. Intervals and the Harmonic Series. Musical Scales. The Impossibility of Perfect Tuning. Tuning and Temperament.
19. STRUCTURE IN MUSIC.
Melodies and Modes. Chords and Harmonic Progressions. Consonance and Dissonance. Musical Forms and Styles.
20. EPILOGUE: SCIENCE AND ESTHETICS.
APPENDIX A. WRITTEN MUSIC.
APPENDIX B. THE METRIC SYSTEM.
Units for Physical Measurements. Scientific Notation and Computation.
APPENDIX G. GLOSSARY.
APPENDIX H. HINTS AND ANSWERS TO SELECTED EXERCISES.
Index.
The Chromatic Scale; The Chromatic Series Slider.

Fascinating
This book is a thorough overview of physics behind music.In the first part of the book, Hall lays the foundation with an investigation into waves, sound propagation, sound measurement, and the human ear.The middle third of the book takes up families of instruments, and how they work to create musical sounds.The last part of the book investigates room acoustics, sound reproduction, and the perception of intervals, tunings, and musical structure.Each chapter includes references and suggestions for further reading, numerous mathematical exercises for practicing the concepts covered in the chapter, and a list of potential projects for further investigation.The book includes a glossary and answers to selected problems, as well as an index.

I read quite a few textbooks for work and occasionally just for interest's sake, but this one really stands out.After reading the first few chapters, I found myself wishing I could sit in on Hall's lectures.His style is intensely personal, and his explanations are incredibly clear.I'll admit that sometimes my eyes glossed over while slogging through some of the numbers and charts, but it was mainly my fault for not being a more active reader.In order to get the most from this book, you really need to read it with calculator in hand, or better yet, an Excel spreadsheet open, ready to try out the numbers and scenarios that Hall provides us with.Nevertheless, the math is kept quite simple- -no calculus; if you can do algebra, you should be able to get through the book.

I've found the information in the book to be quite useful.Hall's description of how resonance works in drums has helped me make sense of my tabla teacher's pickiness about where my fingers strike the tabla heads.And at last I understand the physics behind why some rooms in my house are acoustically dead, and others are alive.Hall has opened up a new world of ideas for me, and I will be thinking them through for years to come.I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to know how music really works. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Problems clearly worked out
Most odd problems worked out in sufficient detail to allow full understanding of the problem. A big help if you get the wrong answer and don't know why.

Spring back with Physics
Young and Freedman's University Physics is thorough and well-explained.It is also at times very interesting and brings together a lot of material in a cohesive way.However, I do have some problems with how the example problems sometimes have nothing to do with the end of chapter problems, or else they explain the easiest problems and then ask us to do really difficult problems that we've not seen before.But in all, as Physics books go, it's a pretty decent choice. ... Read more

Product Description
A deep yet accessible analysis of the physics of light and sound, and how our eyes and
ears detect them, is not only intellectually enjoyable, but also useful to understand and
interpret the world in which we live, all the phenomena that take place around us, and how
we perceive them. In short, how we interface with our planet, its inhabitants, and their
creations. Understanding the physics of light and sound may also increase the appreciation
for works of art and for art itself, and even stimulate the artists among the readers to deepen
their knowledge of their media, of how people interface with them, and perhaps improve
their art production.

* Offers an alternative route to science literacy for those interested in the arts, music and photography
* Popular science book with wide readership beyond the classroom at an accessible level
* Material covered at a level appropriate for self-study or as a complementary textbook
* Companion website for Instructors available in Spring 2008 ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

One Great Science Book
I retired to Madison, WI because the UW-Madison allows seniors to audit classes free. The great majority of my classes have been in the School of Music. I always watch for complementary courses to broaden and deepen my musical knowledge.

That is how I found Physics in the Art, a wonderful course taught by Professor P.U.P.A Gilbert.Her book bears the same title.The course studies the physics of light (think art, painting and photography) and periodic oscillations (think music).High school geometry is the only background you need.

I found the book so interesting that I read it in one sitting.It isthe most understandable and comprehensible science book I have read.It deals with and explains matters we encounter every day but never quite knew how they worked.

I told Professor Gilbert that her book was a spellbinding as any Sherlock Holmes or Dorothy Sayers mysteries (my favorites)

If there is room for only one science book on your shelves, this is it. ... Read more

Product Description

This classic reference on musical acoustics and performance practice begins with a brief introduction to the fundamentals of acoustics and the generation of musical sounds. It then discusses the particulars of the sounds made by all the standard instruments in a modern orchestra as well as the human voice, the way in which the sounds made by these instruments are dispersed and how the room into which they are projected affects the sounds.

Product Description

Most books concerned with physics and music take an approach that puts physical theory before application. Consequently, these works tend to dampen aesthetic fascination with preludes burdened by an overabundance of algebraic formulae. In Measured Tones: The Interplay of Physics and Music Third Edition, Ian Johnston a professor of astrophysics and a connoisseur of music, offers an informal historical approach that shows the evolution of both theory and application at the intersection of physics and music. Exceptionally accessible, insightful, and now updated to consider modern technology and recent advances, the new edition of this critically acclaimed and bestselling classic —

• Features a greater examination of psycho-acoustics and its role in the design of MP3s
• Includes expanded information on the gamelan and other Asian percussion instruments
• Introduces detailed discussions of binary notation, digitization, and electronic manipulation of music

We believe that order exists, and we look for it. In that respect the aims of science and of music are identical—the desire to find harmony. And surely, without that very human desire, science would be a cold and sterile undertaking.

With myriad illustrations and historical anecdotes, this volume will delight those student required to approach this topic from either a physics and music concentration, as well as anyone who is fascinated with concepts of harmony expressed in nature, as well as in the instruments and composition of human expression’s purest form.

A complementary website provides sound files, further reading, and instructional support.

Customer Reviews (5)

Excellent Text Book Choice
I had to buy this book for a course in Physics.It really explains things clearly and helps with understanding.

broad and quirky
this book covered more ground than i had hoped and features lucid explanations of topics traditionally belonging to a whole variety of fields, as well as substantial biographical content and historical references. at many points while reading it i found myself entraced with descriptions of clear and important aspects of music and musical instruments which i had never known about before.

i was especially interested in a book more abstract than the western musical paradigm, and it scored fairly. enough generalized explanations were included that i felt comfortable. johnston described a lot of musical instruments, but they are mostly western ones.

my only beef is with johnston's informal writing. he glosses over some details (admitting as much) and generally avoids mathematical equations. for a book which includes, for example, generalized descriptions of the movement of masses of air in adjoined chambers of varying size, it would not have been unreasonable to have more math - imho, the principal field connecting physics and music.

An unusual approach to the topic
I have used this book as the secondary text for a college course in thephysics of music.There are a number of textbooks out there for courses ofthis sort (Rossing, Backus, Rigden, etc.) but this book takes a verydifferent, historical approach, with a strong emphasis on scales andintonation.The mathematical level and level of detail are quite low--Ifound it hard to devise test questions to see whether the students had readthe book.But it is written in a quirky, engaging style, and the studentsin the course found it a more enjoyable read than the main textbook byRossing.I wouldrecommend this book toanyone interested in therelationship of history, physics, and music--no science background isrequired!

This book answered many questions
I've been trying to understand why music works like it does for several years, and stumbled onto this book by accident. It's exactly what I needed! It explains why musical scales are like they are, and how they got that way(which is important for understanding why it used to be significant whichkey some symphony was written in). It explains how harmony works, andmelody too. And, how musical instruments work. And on top of that, itincludes a very interesting history of science and of music, a veryenjoyable read.

Entertaining and historically informed account
A superior andengaging account of how progress in the physical sciences is intertwined with the development of music theory and the evolution of musical instruments.The conversational tone of the text is never dry, andis liberally sprinkled with illustrations. There is music, science andhistory a-plenty here. You do not have to be "scientificallyminded" to derive a great deal of pleasure and edification from thebook, it has definitely been thoughtfully shaped by a professionaleducator. I first read this in 1990 and return to it time and again forreference, only to find myself absorbed in re-reading sections. Obviously alabor of love, "Measured Tones" deserves a wide audience. I wishProf Johnston had written more! ... Read more

Product Description
Get complete guidance on both traditional orchestration and modern production techniques with this unique book. With effective explanations and clear illustrations, you will learn how to integrate the traditional approach to orchestration with the modern sequencing techniques and tools available. You will discover how to bridge the two approaches in order to enhance your final production.

The accompanying CD includes a comprehensive and wide selection of examples, templates and sounds to allow you to hear the techniques within the book.

By covering both approaches, this book provides a comprehensive and solid learning experience that will develop your skills and prove extremely competitive in the music production business.

* Complete orchestration manual covering both traditional and modern techniques
* Versatile, non-software specific, perfect choice for professionals and colleges
* Accompanying DVD with examples, templates and sounds brings techniques to life ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Decent book but not enough depth.
I ordered this book in great anticipation to find lots of technical details as to MIDI composition. However, the book appears to be mainly intended for students who are at their beginning trials (or little beyond) of computer composition. Though good at that level, and containing lots of very useful information and tips, the book does not go into the techniques, and their illustration, far enough. Many of the suggestions remain just that, without showing specific work. Ditto withtechniques. "Use CCx for situation y" but, although sometimes graphically shown, many times the narative is not developed into thorough presentation. In other words, I would have desired (much) more analysis and examples.

Then, there's too much introduction to traditional instruments, occupying quite a hefty chunk of the book. When creating a book of this nature, one would expect that the reader be beyond elementary stages. After all, orchestration is a capstone discipline. Evidently, one must know the ins and outs of traditional orchestration in order to procede to the next level. The authors mention this, so I won't dwell on it. In my experience, the composer who uses a computer to realise his/her musical ideas, struggles mostly with less than perfect samples, which behave differently when in combination with other samples than when are sounded only by themselves. For example, no matter how good a violin section sample may be, when put together with viola section samples it will behave differently. I know, books that fully render MIDI composition experience can be of interminable dimentions. However, more extensive books are very much needed, and I am sure that readers would copiously benefit from the present book's authors' vast experience. I also realise that such books will be more expensive than this one. Oh well, the cost of acquiring skills has never been an inexpensive endeavor.

Thanks for reading, John.

The Kindle Edition is missing the audio examples
This is a good book, easy to digest yet surprisingly thorough.

However, be warned.The otherwise awesome kindle edition is lacking the critical audio examples that you get when buying the printed version.

Why?I don't know.The kindle can handle audio files.Or the publisher could make the examples available on their web site.

But neither option is available.Which ruins an otherwise great read, since you'll be zooming along learning about this or that intonation -- and then the author will say "check out this sample track on the CD" -- but, woops, no audio samples are available on the kindle.I'll bet all the examples would take less than 2 or 3 MB of space as MP3 files, which would be fine.I hope Amazon or the publisher corrects this error.

Very informative, useful material.
Thanks to Andrea Perjolo and Richard DeRosa. This book is extremely helpful to the computer musician/producer who wants to learn how to make his MIDI productions shine.

The chapters are separated by orchestral sections, and detailed guidelines are provided for each, in terms of sequencing, arranging, applying effects, etc., with many examples provided so you can see and hear what is being discussed.

The book is very comprehensive, as I would expect from professors from Juliard and Berklee.

I was not prepared, when I first read this book, however.

After I finished it the first time, I had to go back and completely review everything I couldabout the MIDI features/capabilities/procedures of my MIDI interface, and of my DAW.

What I mean is that I could understand the MIDI concepts and functions that the authors were outlining and I could follow along adequately, but I had to do a significant amount of review to get to the point where I was able to implement these very useful guidelines and recommendations on my specific MIDI controller/DAW.

I also learned about what features to look for in sample libraries, samplers, and synthesizers.

On my second pass throough the book, I was actually prepared to work through the exercises.

5 stars it deserves
This is definitely a book that deserves 5 stars.The information present is great, and the book does not need any editing.There are some other books that might on music composition that were published before MIDI was even a standard, and some authors have written books both on orchestration and arranging both before and after the adoption of MIDI.Some of these books are also very good, but like most people, and probably even more so, musicians are limited by their financial resources, so if you want to invest in only one book of this nature, this would be a very good one to choose.

fantastic over view and deep for those with back ground
This book is great, I'm not through it yet, I don't think that it is completely approperiate for the complete novice, but if you already have background in orchestration and some midi knowledge, you will find it really helpful.
... Read more

Product Description

This book incorporates the developments in digital audio technology, including consumer products, into a firm foundation of the physics of sound. No knowledge of physics, mathematics, or music is required. Includes updated information on musical synthesizers. Provides recent information on the ear, including new advances in cochlear implant technology. Updates material for modern technology, particularly MP3. Features abundant examples, including discussion of demonstration experiments. Includes historical discussion of musical temperaments and instruments. Offers videotapes of musical demonstrations on topics discussed in the book, available from author. A useful reference for musicians or anyone interested in learning more about the physics of music.

Customer Reviews (6)

Class didnt reflect his own textbook.
Whats better than taking a course where the professor actually wrote the book. Well I did just that and was disappointed. The class had many visual demonstrations but the book had very few pictures which made me wonder why his teaching style did not reflect the textbook.

not helpful
Did they even have an editor for this book? I took a class with Dr.Berg and his class was interesting but the book was not helpful nor was it well organized.

Considerably out of date in some places
Acoustics is an interesting subject, at all levels, and very important of course due to the human love for music and the need for high fidelity sound reproduction. This book is written for a readership that does not have expertise in physics or mathematics beyond the high school level. The authors do an excellent job, and the book could be used in classes on music theory or a class in physics for the humanities. The audiophile reader will gain a greater appreciation of the physics behind quality sound reproduction. Heavy use is made of demonstrations to illustrate the properties of sound, and most of these are easily set up in the classroom. I have used most of these demonstrations in the classroom, and can highly recommend their use to reinforce the understanding of the physics of sound.

The book opens, appropriately, with a discussion of simple harmonic motion, with the properties of this type of motion related to sound waves. The nature of simple harmonic motion as periodic, in contrast with noise, which is nonperiodic, is pointed out very early on. To introduce the concept of resonance, in particular the concept of coupling resonance, the author use the coupled pendulum system. This demonstration is easily constructed for classroom use and very effective in illustrating coupled resonance. Lissajous figures, which arise in the study of the relationship between two waves, is discussed in some detail.

The difference between longitudinal waves, which sound waves are, and transverse waves (such as light), is illustrated in chapter 2. To reinforce the difference between sound and light, the authors use the "bell in vacuum" demonstration. A demonstration for measuring the speed of sound is also described. Ripple tanks are used to demonstrate Huygen's principle, interference, and parabolic reflectors. The origin of beats, so important in music theory, is discussed, along with a very detailed overview of the Doppler effect. Ultrasound, very important medically, is treated also. A very brief discussion of infrasonic waves is given. Infrasonic waves, which are outside the range of hearing since they are below 20 Hz, are only experienced as vibrations. They have recently been discussed in the popular press as being explanations behind "haunted" houses. The anxiety felt in some old houses is thought of as being due to infrasonic waves.

The origin of the overtone series, so very important in music theory, is discussed in chapter 3. The three laws of Mersenne, which govern the fundamental frequency of stretched wires, are also treated. The Kundt's tube demonstration is used to describe the properties of longitudinal standing waves, and the famous Chladni plates are used to demonstrate standing waves in two dimensions. All throughout the chapter the properties of standing waves are related to music and musical instruments.

Fourier analysis and synthesis, which is typically very formidable mathematically, is presented in chapter 4 in a manner that is very understandable to the targeted readership. The Fourier synthesis of triangular, square, and sawtooth waves, along with a pulse train, is discussed. After a treatment of Fourier spectrum of these waves, the authors discuss the factors contributing to tone quality.

In chapter 5, the authors turn to more practical considerations, wherein they discuss how to create electronic music. Analog synthesizers, although very antiquated by modern standards, are used to illustrate how to combine waves to obtain special sounds or effects. The authors then immediately turn to digital synthesizers and keyboards. They discuss the Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI), but the equipment they illustrate in the chapter is considerably out of date.

The anatomy and physics of the human ear and voice tract are discussed in chapter 6. The diagrams they include are useful, and they discuss the "place theory of hearing" , which is based on the correlation of sound frequency with position of response along the basilar membrane. The critical band, just noticeable difference, and the limit of frequency discrimination are all discussed in the context of this theory, with several different experiments proposed to illustrate these concepts. Most interesting is the discussion on periodicity pitch, which musicians seem to have a knack for. Also interesting is the treatment of vocal formants, which are frequency regions in which harmonics have large amplitudes. Due to the element of subjectivity in hearing and listening, the connection of the material in this chapter to "psychophysics" and "psychoacoustics" is readily apparent.

Most of the next chapter is out-dated since the authors discuss sound reproduction using LPs and tape recorders. However, the authors do discuss how this is done using compact disks, which though are themselves on their way out, due to the rise of the Internet, MP3 formats, and digital music files. Chapter 8 is timeless though, as the authors discuss the acoustics of auditoriums and rooms, detailing the most important acoustical characteristics that contribute to a pleasant musical experience, and some of the problems that arise in acoustical design. The last section of the chapter gives a fairly good overview of what is involved in setting up a home listening room.

In chapter 9, the authors take the plunge into music theory, discussing temperament and musical pitch. The history behind these concepts is detailed, emphasizing in particular that an ideal temperamentis not available, its choice being dictated by the musical requirements at hand.Arithmetic descriptions of the Pythagorean, just, mean-tone, Werckmeister, and equal temperaments are given.

The last five chapters are specialized to the principles behind woodwind, brass, string, and percussion instruments, and the piano. The discussion is purely descriptive, but some of the physical principles studied in the first chapters of the book are applied here to give an understanding of the acoustical and musical properties of these instruments.

counterbalance to the "bites my..." review
Haven't read the book, but Mr. "bites my wacker" shouldn't be allowed to lower the average score.

This is the Book if You want to Know the"Whats" of Sound!
The Physics of Sound is a great book for both musicians and nonmuscians alike. Its not a book for anyone who is afraid of a little mind work. I recommend Physics of Sound because immediately upon after reading it Igained a whole new perspective and deep appreciation for the fundamentalelements,and principles that govern this wonderful phenomena we call"SOUND".

Ever wondered how fast sound travel? What about howvarious sound frequencies react to each other,and in rooms? What exactly issound? All these questions and more,are answered here. Physics of soundeven gives you basic formulas that allow you to manipulate sound in thereal world.

Gain Knowledge,Gain Insight,Gain information. ... Read more

Product Description
Nonlinear Acoustics: Theory and Applications is an introductory text on the theory and applications of nonlinear acoustics. This book develops the theory on nonlinear acoustics from physical principles. The first half of the book develops the physical concepts, mathematical models, and classical methods of solution that form the theoretical framework of nonlinear acoustics. Benchmark experiences are described and many applications are discussed in detail. The second half covers special topics and applications, both theory and experiment. The material is accessible to anyone familiar with the principles normally encountered in a basic course on the physical aspects of linear acoustics. Each chapter is written byexperts in their respective fields.

Key Features
* Includes basic theory and model equations developed from first principles
* Explains the extensive history of nonlinear acoustics and the Burger' s equation
* Describes the analytical, perturbation, and numerical methods of solution
* Introduces nonlinear waves in solids
* Applications included methods for
* Determining the nonlinearity parameter
* Suppression of sound by sound
* Acoustic levitation and streaming
* Sound beams and parametric arrays
* Statistical phenomena
* Four-Wave mixing
* Phase conjugation
* Biomedical effects
* Propagation in the atmosphere, ocean, waveguides, relaxing fluids, and bubbly liquids ... Read more

Product Description
This extraordinarily comprehensive text, requiring no special background in physics, math or music, discusses the nature of sound waves, musical instruments, musical notation, acoustic materials, elements of sound reproduction systems—from the telephone to stereo sound systems—and electronic music. "Very thorough, and full of well-presented facts."—Musical Times. 376 figures.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Useful, If Dated, For The Musician and Engineer
The author is a relatively unknown giant in the world of electronic music - though he was not a musician. For many years, Dr. Olson was the head of research at RCA Laboratories where he made significant contributions to the development of the field of Acoustic Research. While Olson also made significant contributions to the development of the modern microphone and magnetic tape recording (among other things), he is best known, perhaps, as being a key member of the team that researched and developed the RCA Mark II Sound Synthesizer - the first synthesizer used to create and market music for mass consumption. The book, originally published in 1952, hearkens back to the days when sound studio engineers wore white lab coats and carried clipboards. It takes the reader, chapter by chapter, from the basic physical nature of sound waves up to the production of electronic music. Most of the important topics are treated, like how different musical instruments produce and manipulate sound (the section on trumpets is very cool), how sound waves behave in the physical world, the physical and psychological aspects of sound and music perception (how your ears and brain work), the design of sound stages, studios, etc, and ends with an introduction to the basics of recording technology and electronic instruments (electric guitar, synthesizers, etc.), such as they were in the 1950s. The book is aimed at the non-specialist, but has enough information to give a solid foundation in the basic physics of sound and how it applies to the production of music. While it is true that much of the technology discussed in the book is no longer in common use (i.e. magnetic tape, massive synths, etc.), the basic concepts of sound still hold true and thus make this book a still-useful reference. It should also be noted that this book is very often cited in musical texts of many types.

Still relevant and should-be-required-reading
Sure, electronic music technology has advanced a fair bit since this book was written. BUT, the laws of physics have not changed. Olson's book does a fantastic job of explaining the inner workings of timbre, acoustics, recording, sound reproduction, music synthesis, and various other scientific rigor concerning all things sound. This book should be required reading for anyone who does anything in the fields of sound design, recording, production, and even composition and performance of music.

In addition to containing a great explanation of the theory behind musical acoustics, the book is also loaded with lots of empirical measurements of the acoustic characteristics of real-world instruments; it's an invaluable reference for anyone working with live music.

Still could be helpful
Although this book was first published over 50 years ago, there are still many parts of it that can still be read profitably, due mostly to the fact that musical theory and the physics of musical instruments does not change with time. I read the book years ago to get some ideas for physics demonstrations in the classroom, and it was of great assistance in that regard. Those readers who intend to specialize in musical engineering would still find it a useful supplement to more modern treatments. The audio CD of course was not known at the time of publication, nor even the 8-track tape, but the development of both of these technologies was dependent on what came before them, and so a perusal of this book will allow insight into more contemporary technologies. The book also is one of the first to emphasize the psychological factors that must be taken into account when developing a technology for sound reproduction. The author in fact emphasizes the need for paying attention to the psychological factors in the preface to the second edition of the book. With the incredible advances in sound reproduction that have taken place since this book was written, one can appreciate his comments even more. One can only give thanks to the ingenuity of the sound and musical engineers both in the author's time and now for giving the listener an incredibly rich and satisfying auditory experience.

From the Father of the Mark II
The science of musical sound has evolved a great deal since 1966 when the second edition of 'Music, Physics and Engineering' was first published.However, this historical work can be of value to musical engineers even intoday's fast changing technological world.

The author, Harry F. Olson wasstaff vice president of the acoustical and electromechanical researchdepartment of RCA laboratories.The thorough science reported in this bookwas perhaps instrumental in the development of the RCA Mark II ElectronicMusic Synthesizer of the Columbia-Princeton Electronic MusicCenter.

Chapters such as: Sound Waves, Musical Terminology, MusicalScales, Resonators and Radiators, Musical Instruments, Characteristics ofMusical Instruments and Properties of Music have much to teach those withan engineering background about the science of music.

This book has beenextraordinarily useful to me in seeking to design sound events in softwarewith nothing other than a 'C' compiler and some audio file format specsheets to work with.It is a great read for the aspiring musical engineer. ... Read more

Product Description
Acoustic microscopy enables you to image and measure the elastic properties of materials with the resolution of a good microscope. By using frequencies in microwave regime, it is possible to make the acoustic wavelength comparable with the wavelength of light, and hence to achieve a resolution comparable with an optical microscope. Solids can support both longitudinal and transverse acoustic waves. At surfaces a unique combination of the two known as Raleigh waves can propagate, and in many circumstances these dominate the contrast in acoustic microscopy. Following the invention of scanning probe microscopes, it is now possible to use an atomic force microscope to detect the acoustic vibration of a surface with resolution in the nanometre range, thus beating the diffraction limit by operating in the extreme near-field. This 2nd edition of Acoustic Microscopy has a major new chapter on the technique and applications of acoustically excited probe microscopy. ... Read more

Product Description
The book is devoted to the very basis of acoustics and vibro-acoustics. The physics of the phenomena, the analytical methods and the modern numerical techniques are presented in a concise form. Many examples illustrate the fundamental problems and predictions (analytic or numerical) and are often compared to experiments. Some emphasis is put on the mathematical tools required by rigorous theory and reliable prediction methods.

Key Features
* a series of practical problems, which reflect the content of each chapter
* reference to the major treatises and fundamental recent papers
* current computing techniques, used in problem solving ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Computational methods are new
The author gives a heavily mathematical treatment that covers all the traditional topics within acoustics. Much of the treatment can be found in texts going back decades. Like the discussion on point sources and solving the Helmholtz equation, when we have simple sources in free space. Then there are the Green's functions approach to solving various acoustic equations.

What is more recent is the coverage of computational techniques. As computers have gained in power, you can avail yourself of increasingly more effective tools, using some of the chapters in this book. ... Read more

Product Description
An acclaimed acoustician presents a proven methodology for designing successful venues for concert performance in a variety of building types.

Of all the problems posed by the art and science of acoustics, the design of concert halls is the most mysterious. Listeners, from music lovers to musicians, hear performances in halls of comparable dimensions and find differences in the quality of their listening experiences. Why do so many concert halls fail to live up to expectations?

In The Acoustics of Performance Halls J. Christopher Jaffe, an acclaimed acoustician known for his innovative design concepts, describes the common misconceptions about what makes a successful classical concert space, explains that sound reflections rather than geometry are the key to developing an outstanding hall, and shows how a series of simple principles related to how humans perceive musical quality can provide the ideal environment for classical music performances.Jaffe presents a proven methodology for designing successful venues for symphonic performance in a variety of building types, including concert halls, music pavilions, multiuse theaters, and amphitheaters, using a fact-based approach that relies on matching subjective values to quantitative measurements, an awareness of a community’s musical memory, and extensive practical experience working with orchestras. Case studies illustrate the acoustic design of facilities designed for the presentation of symphonic music as well as those that were designed for other activities but through necessity or innovation are used for this purpose.An invaluable resource as a large-scale troubleshooting manual, this book should be required reading not only for acousticians but also for concert administrators, concert division directors, and operations managers, as well as theater consultants, architectural firms, and construction companies.

Product Description
This book provides a comprehensive introduction to the subject of acoustics, including the principles of human perception of sound, sometimes called psychoacoustics.





Acoustics and Psychoacoustics is ideal for students of music technology, sound recording, traditional music and acoustics, as well as engineers studying audio, multimedia and communications systems. Anyone who wants a practical understanding of how real musical sounds behave and are perceived in real spaces, will find this an accessible and interesting read.

Subjects featured include:
· Principles of sound
· Human hearing and psychoacoustics
· Musical timbre, pitch and loudness perception
· Sound generation in musical instruments
· Sound in different environments (architectural acoustics)
· Processing sound electronically

The book's second edition provides new material on wave motion, brass and woodwind instruments, forward and backward masking, an introduction to coding, and diffusion. Additional references and marginal notes explaining basic terms are provided to aid understanding.

Supporting website:
http://www-users.york.ac.uk/~dmh8/AcPsych/acpsyc.htm

Visit the book's supporting website, designed by author David Howard, for additional resources:
· Questions and exercises to test your knowledge
· Web links for further resources and research
· Audio clips
· Calculation facilities (eg. adding decibel values and converting between frequency ratio and cents/semitones)

The website can also be reached via www.focalpress.com


Professor David M Howard lectures on music technology at the University of York's Electronics Department. His research interests include the analysis and synthesis of music, speech and singing, human hearing modelling and the use of computer displays in voice teaching.He is an active organist, choral singer and choral conductor.
Dr James Angus was an instigator of the music technology courses at York, where he formerly lectured. He is now an independent consultant and researches in the area of acoustics, in particular diffuser design and audio signal processing.

Acoustics and Psychoacoustics is part of the Focal Press Music Technology Series.



*A broad-ranging introduction to acoustics and psychoacoustics
*Highly accessible for students requiring a practical understanding of the subject
*Supporting website features exam questions and links to online sources ... Read more

Product Description

Why does a harpsichord sound different from a piano? For that matter, why does middle C on a piano differ from middle C on a tuning fork, a trombone, or a flute? Good Vibrations explains in clear, friendly language the out-of-sight physics responsible not only for these differences but also for the whole range of noises we call music.

The physical properties and history of sound are fascinating to study. Barry Parker's tour of the physics of music details the science of how instruments, the acoustics of rooms, electronics, and humans create and alter the varied sounds we hear. Using physics as a base, Parker discusses the history of music, how sounds are made and perceived, and the various effects of acting on sounds. In the process, he demonstrates what acoustics can teach us about quantum theory and explains the relationship between harmonics and the theory of waves.

Peppered throughout with anecdotes and examples illustrating key concepts, this invitingly written book provides a firm grounding in the actual and theoretical physics of music.

Customer Reviews (3)

A pick for all collections, particularly music libraries
Good Vibrations: The Physics of Music explains the physics responsible for differences in musical notes and properties. This combines with a history of sound and a survey of acoustics, electronics, and the human ear using physics as a base for understanding how sounds are made and perceived. An outstanding survey, this is a pick for all collections, particularly music libraries.

Meh
I flipped through this book in a bookstore before purchasing it from Amazon. At first glance, it seemed like a really interesting read, but I ended up really disappointed with it.

Overall, I thought the science content was a bit lacking. The book is divided into 4 parts, but only the first part (Sounds and Waves) and half of the second part (The Building Blocks of Music) have any real science. There's a little bit of science in the discussion of instruments, also, but not much. I agree that the author did a good job of avoiding math using some nice diagrams. And I guess the science that was explained was pretty well articulated; I just wanted a bit more of it.

Maybe my science-content-expectations were too high since I'm an engineer. But my main gripe was the author's tendency to list random facts. For example, in Chapter 7, the author covers rhythm and types of music. Most of this chapter is crammed with short descriptions of too-many music genres and listing people who are well-known in that genre---literally just listing names of famous musicians. Similarly, in part 3 of the book, the author covers musical instruments, ending each chapter with a page or two of famous musicians. I enjoy biographies and interesting tidbits of information, but as before, the author just crams in names of musicians with little or no compelling history to go with it.

In summary, the science was explained well, but there wasn't enough of it. I thought some parts of the book devolved into a listing of random facts that weren't that relevant (or frankly, interesting).

The Physics of Music and Much More
When I bought this book, I was expecting it to be a basic overview of the physics of sound with particular concentration on music. It turned out to be much more than that. The expected physics was certainly there - the explanations are crystal clear and include several useful diagrams. And very little mathematics is used throughout the book (good news for those who are math-phobic). But in addition to this are chapters on: the human ear (sound perception), musical scales, chords and sequences, the different types of music, the history and mechanisms behind various types of musical instruments, the human voice, electronic music and associated equipment/software, details on making music recordings, the acoustics of rooms and even a discussion on iPods and MP3 players. For a couple of chapters, some basic knowledge of music theory is clearly assumed; those who can read music and are familiar with the associated theory and terminology have a clear advantage here. In my case, although I've been playing the guitar for many years and have a good ear for music, those sections completely lost me.

Throughout the book, the writing style is very clear, friendly and authoritative. Regarding accessibility, it depends on the reader. Musicians, both amateur and professional, who want to know more about the physics of sound and who may want to know about electronic equipment and how to record, should enjoy the book thoroughly. Those, like me, who are not familiar with music theory and have no interest in recording, may find much of some chapters to be either less accessible or rather useless.

Overall, there is a wealth of fascinating information contained in this book such that any general reader can learn quite a bit; but, as noted earlier, interested musicians are likely to enjoy it the most.
... Read more

Product Description
"Many practical suggestions and tips; the examples are meaningful and the illustrations are effective....Destined to become a classic reference that any serious practitioner of ocean acoustics cannot afford to ignore." Revue de livre Authored by four internationally renowned scientists, this volume covers 20 years of progress in computational ocean acoustics and presents the latest numerical techniques used in solving the wave equation in heterogeneous fluid-solid media. The authors detail various computational schemes and illustrate many of the fundamental propagation features via 2-D color displays. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Over-ambitious but useful reference work
During the last decade, this book has established itself as the definitive reference on Computational Ocean Acoustics. The book reviews most computational techniques very clearly and with proper attention to mathemathical detail. The book is organized systematically with a short introduction on applications and oceanography, a second chapter on the basic physics of wave propagation with emphasis on the ocean environment, before the most important computational techniques (ray tracing, wavenumber integration, normal modes, parabolic equations) are treated in separate chapters. The finite difference and finite elements methods are breafly reviewed in one chapter, as these methods are not very applicable in the problems typical for underwater acoustics.

Based on the first seven chapters alone, this reference work deserves five stars. The one tiny detail I find troublesome here, is the introduction to chapter 2 where the linear wave equation is derived. As I have not read a lot of nonlinear fluid mechanics, I find these two or three pages very confusing. Perhaps this derivation should have been expanded a bit in an appendix. However, this is not a major problem, except for it being an unnecessarily high hurdle to get by when starting reading chapter 2.

The problem with this book becomes obvious when one reads the later chapters, particularly on Matched Field Processing for Source Localization (MFP/SL). The approach is to use the various computational techniques reviewed in the book to find the unknown location of an acoustic source. The solution of this problem is shown to be very sensitive to medium parameters. However, these parameters are not available, so a method termed 'focalization' is used to tune in both the medium parameters and the source position simultaneously. However, in the next instance, the authors claim that precise knowledge the medium parameters, previously accepted to be either unknown or known only with limited presicion, can be used for resolving the azimuth bearing to the source. This makes no sense to me.

As the authors have obviously not contemplated the applications of the reviewed techniques in sufficient detail for them to stand for closer scrutiny, this book only gets two stars from me.

Comprehensive Review
This book is an excellent comprehensive review of the topics necessary to study ocean acoustics.It moves through the physics of wave propagation, carefully explaining the methods and the use of logarithmic measures.The numerical approaches are well organized and theoretically explained before demonstrating examples and giving "recipes" for simple codes.Everything you need is in this book, including some basic signal processing techniques.

Some of the chapters are written better than others, but to get a look at the whole subject, you can't beat it. ... Read more

Product Description

Acoustics, the science of sound, has developed into a broad interdisciplinary field encompassing the academic disciplines of physics, engineering, psychology, speech, audiology, music, architecture, physiology, neuroscience, and others. The Springer Handbook of Acoustics is an unparalleled modern handbook reflecting this richly interdisciplinary nature edited by one of the acknowledged masters in the field, Thomas Rossing. Researchers and students benefit from the comprehensive contents spanning: animal acoustics including infrasound and ultrasound, environmental noise control, music and human speech and singing, physiological and psychological acoustics, architectural acoustics, physical and engineering acoustics, signal processing, medical acoustics, and ocean acoustics. This handbook reviews the most important areas of acoustics, with emphasis on current research. The authors of the various chapters are all experts in their fields. Each chapter is richly illustrated with figures and tables. The latest research and applications are incorporated throughout, e.g. computer recognition and synthesis of speech, physiological acoustics, psychological acoustics, thermoacoustics, diagnostic imaging and therapeutic applications and acoustical oceanography.

With a Foreword by Manfred R. Schroeder

Product Description
This book contains a collection of papers by authors of the Former Soviet Union. The topics covered are media with "structural" nonlinearities, optical generation of sound, acoustic beat-wave interactions, acoustic shock waves, thermal self-focusing of acoustic waves, solitons, statistical nonlinear acoustics, media with relaxation and oscillatory degrees of freedom, parametric arrays, and fluid cavitation. ... Read more

Product Description
Volume III entirely devoted to the study of waves. There are water, sound, light, radio, seismic, de Broglie waves and others. Objective is to acquire familiarity with many examples of waves and achieve a realization of the applicability and generality of the concepts. Optics Kit for Waves includes diffraction grating, polarizers, quarter and half-wave plates and filters. (Description by http-mart) ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Difficult, Obsolete, A Useless Relic
When I was getting an education at the University of California at Berkeley, I had to deal with a very strange attitude that characterized that institution. In Berkeley it was (and perhaps still is) widely believed that most of the concepts of modern science can be rapidly rediscovered by any reasonably bright student, if he or she is given a little bit of suitable prompting. This book exemplifies that peculiar belief. It attempts to provide a specialized Socratic dialog, i.e. a carefully formulated set of questions, that will lead a student through five centuries of scientific progress in just a few short months. In my own experience and that of many other people, this attitude is far too optimistic, and it provides an intensely frustrating experience for the student. Several extremely bright people I've known have actually hated this book because they expected their textbooks to provide answers, not merely questions. The book may be an interesting resource for teachers, as other reviewers have indicated. But for students it is virtually useless. Obviously the academic community shares this verdict, because the book has not been reprinted or updated since its original introduction by McGraw-Hill half a century ago. Unfortunately, this lack of recent revision means that the extremely important topic of Fourier optics, which is the foundation of modern image processing theory, is given very little attention. In fact the book concentrates almost exclusively on old-fashioned wave optics and concepts, so it is now obsolete as well as obscure. I am therefore forced to describe this book as a well-intentioned but poorly conceived teaching experiment that through the passage of time has become a useless relic in today's world.

Waves: Berkeley Physics Course
I could not believe my eyes that the book I received is a xerox copy. Does Amazon follows the copyright laws?

Scary at first (to this nonengineer), but...yes!
Scattered through the book are a number of wonderfully informal "kitchen physics" type experiments.
Example, p. 378: "Why is the sky blue?" Pour some milk into a glass of water, shine a flashlight toward yourself from the back side of the glass and see, in effect, the setting sun (red). Now shine it from one side of the glass and see, instead, the daytime sky (blue). It works!! (This is my quick synopsis. Crawford's presentation is worded much better, and is tied back into his on-going presentation of certain physics equations of course.)
So, why "Scary at first..."? Because just a few pages into Chapter 1, you see stuff like this...
sin (psi) = psi - (psi^3/3!) + (psi^5/5!) - ..., (the Taylor's series expansion)
...and two pages before that (at the very beinning of the book) you see this...
psi(x) = A cos (wt + phi1)
...i.e., that Schroedinger-looking psi (and the "phi-1" variant on Greek letter phi) where you might expect the following which occurs in most "normal" textbooks:
x(t) = A cos (wt + phi)
(I've borrowed 'w' to represent little omega throughout.)
In short, when you first open the book, it has a distinctly "advanced" flavor, beyond a normal college level physics text. But against that you have to weigh the effect of Crawford's many "Home experiments" (with tuning forks or an empty paper towel roll bonked on your head, etc). Overall, even a nonengineer might find a lot to appreciate in this book.

(Personal note: When I was around 10 to 12 years old, Frank Crawford, the author, was my mother's landlord, in Berkeley, and I have vivid memories of him, half a century later -- as he worked on his Ph.D. dissertation at our shared diningroom table, and took radios apart like a kid. Advanced and "scary" though his book may look, I know he was simply not like that. Rather, he was a child at heart, with many of the same qualities often cited in connection with Richard Feynman, but minus Feynman's competitive edginess.)

For Inquisitive minds
Maybe the best volume of Berkeley physics. For those who are aware of series Berkeley Physics I have to say that it can be compared only with the second in Emags. It is quite an extensive book and covers almost everything concerning wave theory. Although it is rather old it is still one of the best reference books which howeverdoesn't include the application of wave theory in quantum mechanics. The author explains with every detail the material and provides the reader with pictures that make the book comprehensive. It may bea big book but the reader can choose the chapters he or she wantsand read the independantly. Although the material covers many applications of wave theory it is suggested for those who just want to learn the basic principles.

Have fun and learn all about waves
This is a fantastic book. It must have taken decades for the author (Frank Crawford) to write all these things, to imagine so many simple experiments, to invent such instructive exercises. The approach is very concrete, with little mathematics in the beginning. Actually, the mathematics grows with the book in a very natural way. As one would expect, the apotheosis of this great show happens when light waves, that is optics, appears. There is a small kit of quarter plates, polaroids, etc, which permit you to make beautiful observations. The explanation of how Edwin Land hit on the idea of artificial nicols (polaroids) is one of my favorites. Whenever I teach anything connected to waves, even mathematical topics, like the Fourier theorem, I always give a look at this volume. Usually it pays! It is a pity that, by its content, it seldom fits in the usual courses. ... Read more