Physics 107 Physics of Music
Offered every fall semester 4 credits
Monday Wednesday Friday 9:00 - 9:50
Laboratory: Wed 1:00 - 4:00
Instructor: William S. Bickel

        I call attention to a very interesting science course for education majors called the Physics of Music (Physics 107). It has been taught in the Physics Department since 1972.
       Over the years students from various departments have enjoyed this course: Music, Speech and Hearing, Radio and TV, Evolutionary Biology and Ecology and Education majors. It is a 4-credit course with 3 hours of lecture and a 3-hour laboratory. The laboratory has been well funded over the years and makes the course unique. Students have enjoyed doing basic acoustical experiments and learning how to give sound/music demonstrations that serve them well as teachers.
        All science teachers K-12 should know that how to explain the world around them and two phenomena that are part of our everyday living are sight (Optics) and sound (Acoustics). There is no area of human endeavor - in technology, art or culture - that does not involve light and sound.
The Physics of Music is the study of sound with emphasis on music - although you do not have to be a musician to enjoy the course. We investigate the properties of sound. We study the operation and construction of musical instruments, the musical scales, the human voice, the human ear and the production and recording of sound. We make applications to earthquakes, animal communication, noise pollution, auditoriums and ultrasonics. We start with the basics and do simple experiments that demonstrate important and interesting concepts that we see/hear every day.
        Of special interest to educational majors is the opportunity to learn how to demonstrate acoustical phenomena to their students and suggest interesting experiments they can do. It is a very rigorous science course that will sharpen critical thinking and experimental skills. Math is kept to a minimum and no student ever had trouble with the course because of the math. Some of the better education students have gotten a suitcase and with my help, filled it with interesting acoustical objects to use when they teach. Each student will make a tuning fork and calibrate it. They will also "invent" a musical instrument (sound producing device) of their own and demonstrate it to the class. Course evaluations have always been very high both for the instructor and the laboratory TA. Students have found the course to be very valuable to their career. Hope you decide to join the class for an interesting semester of studying sound.

Prepared by William S. Bickel
Instructor: Physics of Music
Room 273 PAS (Physics)

        This course is for anyone interested in the science of sound. It deals with fundamental principles that are basic to all sound -- music, noise, speech, mechanical and electrical vibrations, architectural design, etc. Its major application is to music and therefore will have direct applications to music and composition majors as well as students of ecology, architecture, psychology, radio-TV, drama, education, etc. -- or anyone who is curious about the sounds around us in everyday life.
        The course deals with the physics, psychology, physiology and esthetics of sound and is based on solid laboratory experiments. The major areas are:

1. PHYSICS OF SOUND -- ACOUSTICS - pure tone, pitch, loudness, quality, combination of pure tones, beats, dissonance, harmony, the time elements - attack, dwell, decay, duration, period; time-amplitude-frequency distributions; the sound sources - strings, pipes, membranes, plates, rods and the human voice; the transmission, absorption, reflection, refraction, diffraction and scatter of sound.

2. PHYSICS OF MUSICAL SOUNDS - scales, harmony, frequency ranges, filters, mutes, amplifiers; sizes, shapes and stability of musical instruments; fret board design; the human voice, duets, ensembles, orchestras.

3. PHYSICS OF HEARING - hearing thresholds and j.n.d in pitch, loudness, quality; stereo effects, masking, discrimination and resolution, Fletcher-Munson curves, place theory of hearing, audio illusions, hearing loss.

4. RECORDING, AMPLIFICATION AND REPRODUCTION - records, tapes, CD's, sound tracks; microphones, speakers; mechanical and electrical amplification; component compatibility and interfacing; concert hall and room acoustics; mono, stereo and quadrophonic systems, recording studios and sound stages.

5. LEARNING, EXPERIENCE, MEMORY AND CULTURE - opinions regarding musical quality, style, preference; fatigue, boredom, attention spans, memory and reaction times; snobbism in music, instruments and Hi Fi: OSHA standards and noise pollution, hearing loss and distraction.

6. INSTRUMENTATION - all musical instruments, sound level meters, oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers, frequency generators, microphones, earphones, loudspeakers, amplifiers, tape and cassette recorders, frequency counters, strip charts, synthesizers and computers.

    A very attractive feature of this course is the well-equipped laboratory and lab experiments that deal with most to the above topics. In addition all students can work on an original research project of their choice applying the formal aspects of the course to an area of personal interest whether it be the study of bird songs, instrument design, Hi Fi evaluation, psychological effects, science teaching, etc.

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