ENGR 1770 - ENGINEERING FOUNDATIONS OF MUSIC

Minimum Credits: 3
Maximum Credits: 3
Since Paleolithic times, engineering has been applied to the production of music, but advances in the past few centuries, including sound recording, the introductions of electronics, and a greater understanding of the physics, mathematics, and psychology of sound, have greatly expanded what a student can learn in the field of music engineering. This is a lecture course about the engineering aspects of music, including the following general topics: the physics of sound and the mathematics of harmony; the means of creation through mechanical musical instruments, including the human voice, as well as electronic instruments; recording, reproduction, and enhancement though signal processing; interaction with human perceptual, cognitive, and motor systems. Assuming knowledge of differential and integral calculus, the course will develop (or review) a basic understanding of convolution and Fourier Analysis through examples in the engineering aspects of music. Starting with an historical perspective on technology, we will extrapolate a look into the future of music engineering. Students will be able to describe engineering aspects of musical instruments, reproduction, and processing and apply the mathematical and physical basis for sound and the theory of harmony in understanding the system of interaction between human and machine that constitutes music. Topics covered include: convolution and Fourier Analysis; physics of sound; mathematics of harmony; physics of mechanical instruments; recording and reproduction of music; electronic processing of sound; electronic synthesis of music; psychophysics of music.
Academic Career: Undergraduate
Course Component: Lecture
Grade Component: Letter Grade

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