Science of Asian Music

Catalog description

This course is an introduction to acoustics, sound, and music. Participants will learn about wave theory, spectral analysis, and the mathematical and scientific basis for music scales, timbre, pitch perception, and harmonics. Vibration sources, resonant chambers, and wave amplification will be discussed. Special attention will be given to waves on strings and waves in pipes, and approximations and corrections to physical systems. Concrete examples will be drawn from Asian instruments and music, with particular attention to the Guqin, Guzheng, Erhu, Dizi, and instruments and vocalists of Chinese opera. 001629