Musical Instruments

Catalog description

This course introduces you to the study of musical instruments and the materials that make up musical culture. We will explore topics such as instrument making and repair, interface design and performance techniques, instruments and identity, classification in instrument collections and museums, and the environmental impact of instrument materials. We will study a wide range of examples from cultures around the world – from Japanese shamisen and Indian tabla, to violin bows and analog synthesizers – to examine the different ways that people relate to and engage with instruments, and the ways that instruments shape music-making. Thinking beyond sound, we will examine how musical instruments can offer deeper insight into the ways we listen to, play, and study music.