Musical Instruments, Acoustics, and the Creative Musician

3 credits · Undergraduate

Musical Instruments, Acoustics, and the Creative Musician. In this course we focus on the meeting point of the physics of sound, musical instrument materials, and human creativity. We will consider such topics as overtones, subharmonics, sound synthesis, instrument design, tuning and temperament systems, perception and illusion, and the embodied experience of the performer. We explore the relationship between science and culture and look at how the physical shape of instruments influences art (and how art shapes instruments). Throughout the course, we are guided by creativity and innovation by drawing upon musical repertoire and instrumental performance practices. Enrolled students will be selected randomly from the wait list after they have demonstrated minimum qualifications via a short quiz. Students must have a basic understanding in both music and math. On the music side, a comfort with basic music note reading and the elements of Western music (intervals, scales, rhythms). On the math side, comfort with precalculus, including basic trig, logs, and exponentials. [3]