Music And Acoustics: From Instrument To Computer

How can a piano tuner obtain such high precision with no other measuring device than their own ears? How can a sequence of notes seem to rise continuously despite coming back periodically to the same notes? What are the possibilities and the limits of digital sound? These are a few examples of questions that are discussed in this book, which presents an overview on the nature of musical sounds, from their production by acoustic music instruments to synthesized sounds obtained with computers.
The topics that are treated include sound propagation, Fourier and time-frequency analysis, psychoacoustics, analog and digital signal processing theory, computer science and MP3 sound compression, and of course... music!

Philippe Guillaume is a Professor at INSA Toulouse, France where he teaches applied mathematics and musical acoustics.
He is a researcher within the Laboratory of Mathematics for Industry and Physics in the same Institute. He worked for many years in his youth as a piano tuner for famous pianists.

Foreword.
Chapter1. Sounds.
1.1 Sound Propagation.
1.2 Music Theory Interlude.
1.3 Different Types of Sounds.
1.4 Representation of Sound.
1.5 Filtering.
1.6 Study Problems.
1.7 Practical Computer Applications.

Chapter 2. Musical Instruments.
2.1 Strings.
2.2 Bars.
2.3 Membranes.
2.4 Tubes.
2.5 Timbre of Instruments.
2.6 Study Problems.
2.7 Practical Computer Applications.

Chapter 3. Scales and Temperaments.
3.1 The Pythagorean Scale.
3.2 The Zarlino Scale.
3.3 The Tempered Scales.
3.4 A Brief History of A4.
3.5 Giving Names to Notes.
3.6 Other examples of Scales.
3.7 Study Problems.
3.8 Practical Computer Applications.

Chapter 4. Psychoacoustics.
4.1 Sound Intensity and Loudness.
4.2 The Ear.
4.3 Frequency and Pitch.
4.4 Frequency Masking.
4.5 Study Problems.
4.6 Practical Computer Applications.

Chapter 5. Digital Sound.
5.1 Sampling.
5.2 Audio Compression.
5.3 Digital Filtering and the Z-transform.
5.4 Study Problems.
5.5 Practical Computer Applications.

Chapter 6. Synthesis and Sound Effects.
6.1 Synthesis of Musical Sounds.
6.2 Time Effects: Echo and Reverberation.
6.3 Effects Based on Spectrum Modification.
6.4 Study Problems.
6.5 Practical Computer Applications.
Bibliography.
Index.