The Physics Of Musical Instruments

Author : Neville H. Fletcher
Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN 13 : 1461229804
Total Pages : 629 pages
Book Rating : 4.03/5 ( download)

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Download or read book The Physics of Musical Instruments written by Neville H. Fletcher and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2012-12-06 with total page 629 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The history of musical instruments is nearly as old as the history of civilization itself, and the aesthetic principles upon which judgments of musical quality are based are intimately connected with the whole culture within which the instruments have evolved. An educated modem Western player or listener can make critical judgments about particular instruments or particular per formances but, to be valid, those judgments must be made within the appro priate cultural context. The compass of our book is much less sweeping than the first paragraph might imply, and indeed our discussion is primarily confined to Western musical instruments in current use, but even here we must take account of centuries of tradition. A musical instrument is designed and built for the playing of music of a particular type and, conversely, music is written to be performed on particular instruments. There is no such thing as an "ideal" instrument, even in concept, and indeed the unbounded possibilities of modem digital sound-synthesis really require the composer or performer to define a whole set of instruments if the result is to have any musical coherence. Thus, for example, the sound and response of a violin are judged against a mental image of a perfect violin built up from experience of violins playing music written for them over the centuries. A new instrument may be richer in sound quality and superior in responsiveness, but if it does not fit that image then it is not a better violin.

Author : Neville H. Fletcher
Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN 13 : 0387216030
Total Pages : 763 pages
Book Rating : 4.34/5 ( download)

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Download or read book The Physics of Musical Instruments written by Neville H. Fletcher and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2013-11-09 with total page 763 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: While the history of musical instruments is nearly as old as civilisation itself, the science of acoustics is quite recent. By understanding the physical basis of how instruments are used to make music, one hopes ultimately to be able to give physical criteria to distinguish a fine instrument from a mediocre one. At that point science may be able to come to the aid of art in improving the design and performance of musical instruments. As yet, many of the subtleties in musical sounds of which instrument makers and musicians are aware remain beyond the reach of modern acoustic measurements. This book describes the results of such acoustical investigations - fascinating intellectual and practical exercises. Addressed to readers with a reasonable grasp of physics who are not put off by a little mathematics, this book discusses most of the traditional instruments currently in use in Western music. A guide for all who have an interest in music and how it is produced, as well as serving as a comprehensive reference for those undertaking research in the field.

Author : Harvey E. White
Publisher : Courier Corporation
ISBN 13 : 0486794008
Total Pages : 448 pages
Book Rating : 4.06/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Physics and Music written by Harvey E. White and published by Courier Corporation. This book was released on 2014-04-15 with total page 448 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Comprehensive and accessible, this foundational text surveys general principles of sound, musical scales, characteristics of instruments, mechanical and electronic recording devices, and many other topics. More than 300 illustrations plus questions, problems, and projects.

Author : William Ralph Bennett Jr.
Publisher : Springer
ISBN 13 : 3319927965
Total Pages : 440 pages
Book Rating : 4.61/5 ( download)

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Download or read book The Science of Musical Sound written by William Ralph Bennett Jr. and published by Springer. This book was released on 2018-09-04 with total page 440 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This textbook is a product of William Bennett’s work in developing and teaching a course on the physics of music at Yale University to a diverse audience of musicians and science students in the same class. The book is a culmination of over a decade of teaching the course and weaves together historical descriptions of the physical phenomena with the author’s clear interpretations of the most important aspects of the science of music and musical instruments. Many of the historical examples are not found in any other textbook available on the market. As the co-inventor of the Helium-Neon laser, Prof. Bennett’s knowledge of physics was world-class. As a professor at one of the most prestigious liberal-arts universities in the world, his appreciation for culture and humanities shines through. The book covers the basics of oscillations, waves and the analysis techniques necessary for understanding how musical instruments work. All types of stringed instruments, pipe organs, and the human voice are covered in this volume. A second volume covers the remaining families of musical instruments as well as selected other topics. Readers without a background in acoustics will enjoy learning the physics of the Science of Musical Sound from a preeminent scientist of the 20th century. Those well versed in acoustics will discover wonderful illustrations and photographs depicting familiar concepts in new and enlightening ways.

Author : Nicholas J. Giordano
Publisher : Oxford University Press
ISBN 13 : 0192506633
Total Pages : 184 pages
Book Rating : 4.34/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Physics of the Piano written by Nicholas J. Giordano and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2016-10-27 with total page 184 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Why does a piano sound like a piano? A similar question can be asked of virtually all musical instruments. A particular note-such as middle C-can be produced by a piano, a violin, a clarinet, and many other instruments, yet it is easy for even a musically untrained listener to distinguish between these different instruments. A central quest in the study of musical instruments is to understand why the sound of the "same" note depends greatly on the instrument, and to elucidate which aspects of an instrument are most critical in producing the musical tones characteristic of the instrument. The primary goal of this book is to investigate these questions for the piano. The explanations in this book use a minimum of mathematics, and are intended for anyone who is interested in music and musical instruments. At the same time, there are many insights relating physics and the piano that will likely be interesting and perhaps surprising for many physicists.

Author : Barry Parker
Publisher : JHU Press
ISBN 13 : 0801897076
Total Pages : 286 pages
Book Rating : 4.78/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Good Vibrations written by Barry Parker and published by JHU Press. This book was released on 2009-12-15 with total page 286 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 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.

Author : Neville Horner Fletcher
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 620 pages
Book Rating : 4.78/5 ( download)

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Download or read book The Physics of Musical Instruments written by Neville Horner Fletcher and published by . This book was released on 1990 with total page 620 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Author : Stephon Alexander
Publisher : Basic Books
ISBN 13 : 0465098509
Total Pages : 272 pages
Book Rating : 4.07/5 ( download)

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Download or read book The Jazz of Physics written by Stephon Alexander and published by Basic Books. This book was released on 2016-04-26 with total page 272 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: More than fifty years ago, John Coltrane drew the twelve musical notes in a circle and connected them by straight lines, forming a five-pointed star. Inspired by Einstein, Coltrane put physics and geometry at the core of his music. Physicist and jazz musician Stephon Alexander follows suit, using jazz to answer physics' most vexing questions about the past and future of the universe. Following the great minds that first drew the links between music and physics-a list including Pythagoras, Kepler, Newton, Einstein, and Rakim-The Jazz of Physics reveals that the ancient poetic idea of the Music of the Spheres," taken seriously, clarifies confounding issues in physics. The Jazz of Physics will fascinate and inspire anyone interested in the mysteries of our universe, music, and life itself.

Author : Thomas D. Rossing
Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN 13 : 1441971106
Total Pages : 469 pages
Book Rating : 4.04/5 ( download)

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Download or read book The Science of String Instruments written by Thomas D. Rossing and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2010-12-15 with total page 469 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Thomas D. Rossing String instruments are found in almost all musical cultures. Bowed string instruments form the backbone of symphony orchestras, and they are used widely as solo inst- ments and in chamber music as well. Guitars are used universally in pop music as well as in classical music. The piano is probably the most versatile of all musical inst- ments, used widely not only in ensemble with other musical instruments but also as a solo instrument and to accompany solo instruments and the human voice. In this book, various authors will discuss the science of plucked, bowed, and hammered string instruments as well as their electronic counterparts. We have tried to tell the fascinating story of scienti?c research with a minimum of mathematics to maximize the usefulness of the book to performers and instrument builders as well as to students and researchers in musical acoustics. Sometimes, however, it is dif?cult to “translate” ideas from the exact mathematical language of science into words alone, so we include some basic mathematical equations to express these ideas. It is impossible to discuss all families of string instruments. Some instruments have been researched much more than others. Hopefully, the discussions in this book will help to encourage further scienti?c research by both musicians and scientists alike. 1.1 A Brief History of the Science of String Instruments Quite a number of good histories of acoustics have been written (Lindsay 1966, 1973; Hunt 1992; Beyer 1999), and these histories include musical acoustics.

Author : Thomas D Rossing
Publisher : World Scientific Publishing Company
ISBN 13 : 981310564X
Total Pages : 224 pages
Book Rating : 4.45/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Science of Percussion Instruments written by Thomas D Rossing and published by World Scientific Publishing Company. This book was released on 2000-09-06 with total page 224 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Percussion instruments may be our oldest musical instruments, but only recently have they become the subject of extensive scientific study. This book focuses on how percussion instruments vibrate and produce sound and how these sounds are perceived by listeners.