Overview
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.
Synopsis
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 readers use simple physical concepts as tools for understanding how music works, and (2) To use readers' interest in music to motivate the study and appreciation of scientific methods. Any given chapter will challenge readers with several points that are not obvious on the first reading. Starred sections are optional and are not a prerequisite to later sections.
Booknews
Hall (California State U.-Sacramento) provides a textbook for an introductory, nontechnical college course that requires no background in either science or music. His goal is to help students use simple physical concepts as tools for understanding how music works, and to use their interest in music to motivate the study and appreciation of scientific methods. He connects traditional physical analysis to musical reality by explaining how ears and brains interpret musical events. Among the pedagogical features of the chapters are a summary; references; a list of symbols, terms, and relations; exercises; and suggestions for extended projects. He also includes a glossary without pronunciation guides. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)