Course Notes for the first semester unit
PHYSICS AND PSYCHOPHYSICS OF MUSIC
(ACAT 1003)
Course Notes by David Worrall.
Prepared for the Web with the assistance of Marciano Telese and Rohan Phillips.
PHYSICS OF SOUND: BASICS CONCEPTS
Definitions of sound
Sound Generators
FREQUENCY OF A SOUND WAVE
Effect of Temperature on Velocity of sound in air
Wavelength Revisited
History of Measuring Velocity of sound in air
Pressure in a Sound Wave
INTENSITY
Power in a Sound Wave
Definition of Intensity
Sound Intensity Level (SL)
Working with Decibels
A Review of Logarithms
Comparison of Intensity and Pressure Level
SPECTRA
Complex Tones
Sympathetic Resonance
Fourier Analysis and Fourier Synthesis
TUNING, SCALES AND TEMPERAMENT
Harmonic and Inharmonic Spectra
Scales - An Introduction
Construction of the Pythagorean Diatonic Scale
Construction of the Pythagorean Chromatic Scale
Construction of the Just Diatonic Scales
The Just Chromatic Scale
The Tempered Scale
Equal Divisions of the Octave into Different Numbers of Tones
THE PHYSIOLOGY OF HEARING
Introduction
The Middle Ear Ossicular Chain - Malleus, Incus and Stapes
The Inner Ear: The Cochlea
The Organ of Corti
The Cochlea to Brain transmission system
THE PSYCHOPHYSICS OF HEARING
JND - Just Noticeable Difference
Psychophysics of Pitch Perception
Superimposition of two sine tones of equal frequency and equal phase
Sensation of the superposition of two tones
What Happens When The limit of frequency discrimination approaches the Critical Band?
Limits
Combination Tones
THE PSYCHOPHYSICS OF LOUDNESS
Review of Basic Concepts
Intensity Masking
Loudness
THEORIES OF CONSONANCE AND DISSONANCE
Concepts of Consonance and Dissonance
The Critical Band Theory of Plomp
BIBLIOGRAPHY