Book Description
The book is devoted to the very basis of acoustics and vibro-acoustics. The physics of the phenomena, the analytical methods and the modern numerical techniques are presented in a concise form. Many examples illustrate the fundamental problems and predictions (analytic or numerical) and are often compared to experiments. Some emphasis is put on the mathematical tools required by rigorous theory and reliable prediction methods.

Key Features
* a series of practical problems, which reflect the content of each chapter
* reference to the major treatises and fundamental recent papers
* current computing techniques, used in problem solving ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Computational methods are new
The author gives a heavily mathematical treatment that covers all the traditional topics within acoustics. Much of the treatment can be found in texts going back decades. Like the discussion on point sources and solving the Helmholtz equation, when we have simple sources in free space. Then there are the Green's functions approach to solving various acoustic equations.

What is more recent is the coverage of computational techniques. As computers have gained in power, you can avail yourself of increasingly more effective tools, using some of the chapters in this book. ... Read more

Book Description

This book incorporates the developments in digital audio technology, including consumer products, into a firm foundation of the physics of sound. No knowledge of physics, mathematics, or music is required. Includes updated information on musical synthesizers. Provides recent information on the ear, including new advances in cochlear implant technology. Updates material for modern technology, particularly MP3. Features abundant examples, including discussion of demonstration experiments. Includes historical discussion of musical temperaments and instruments. Offers videotapes of musical demonstrations on topics discussed in the book, available from author. A useful reference for musicians or anyone interested in learning more about the physics of music.

Customer Reviews (6)

Class didnt reflect his own textbook.
Whats better than taking a course where the professor actually wrote the book. Well I did just that and was disappointed. The class had many visual demonstrations but the book had very few pictures which made me wonder why his teaching style did not reflect the textbook.

not helpful
Did they even have an editor for this book? I took a class with Dr.Berg and his class was interesting but the book was not helpful nor was it well organized.

Considerably out of date in some places
Acoustics is an interesting subject, at all levels, and very important of course due to the human love for music and the need for high fidelity sound reproduction. This book is written for a readership that does not have expertise in physics or mathematics beyond the high school level. The authors do an excellent job, and the book could be used in classes on music theory or a class in physics for the humanities. The audiophile reader will gain a greater appreciation of the physics behind quality sound reproduction. Heavy use is made of demonstrations to illustrate the properties of sound, and most of these are easily set up in the classroom. I have used most of these demonstrations in the classroom, and can highly recommend their use to reinforce the understanding of the physics of sound.

The book opens, appropriately, with a discussion of simple harmonic motion, with the properties of this type of motion related to sound waves. The nature of simple harmonic motion as periodic, in contrast with noise, which is nonperiodic, is pointed out very early on. To introduce the concept of resonance, in particular the concept of coupling resonance, the author use the coupled pendulum system. This demonstration is easily constructed for classroom use and very effective in illustrating coupled resonance. Lissajous figures, which arise in the study of the relationship between two waves, is discussed in some detail.

The difference between longitudinal waves, which sound waves are, and transverse waves (such as light), is illustrated in chapter 2. To reinforce the difference between sound and light, the authors use the "bell in vacuum" demonstration. A demonstration for measuring the speed of sound is also described. Ripple tanks are used to demonstrate Huygen's principle, interference, and parabolic reflectors. The origin of beats, so important in music theory, is discussed, along with a very detailed overview of the Doppler effect. Ultrasound, very important medically, is treated also. A very brief discussion of infrasonic waves is given. Infrasonic waves, which are outside the range of hearing since they are below 20 Hz, are only experienced as vibrations. They have recently been discussed in the popular press as being explanations behind "haunted" houses. The anxiety felt in some old houses is thought of as being due to infrasonic waves.

The origin of the overtone series, so very important in music theory, is discussed in chapter 3. The three laws of Mersenne, which govern the fundamental frequency of stretched wires, are also treated. The Kundt's tube demonstration is used to describe the properties of longitudinal standing waves, and the famous Chladni plates are used to demonstrate standing waves in two dimensions. All throughout the chapter the properties of standing waves are related to music and musical instruments.

Fourier analysis and synthesis, which is typically very formidable mathematically, is presented in chapter 4 in a manner that is very understandable to the targeted readership. The Fourier synthesis of triangular, square, and sawtooth waves, along with a pulse train, is discussed. After a treatment of Fourier spectrum of these waves, the authors discuss the factors contributing to tone quality.

In chapter 5, the authors turn to more practical considerations, wherein they discuss how to create electronic music. Analog synthesizers, although very antiquated by modern standards, are used to illustrate how to combine waves to obtain special sounds or effects. The authors then immediately turn to digital synthesizers and keyboards. They discuss the Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI), but the equipment they illustrate in the chapter is considerably out of date.

The anatomy and physics of the human ear and voice tract are discussed in chapter 6. The diagrams they include are useful, and they discuss the "place theory of hearing" , which is based on the correlation of sound frequency with position of response along the basilar membrane. The critical band, just noticeable difference, and the limit of frequency discrimination are all discussed in the context of this theory, with several different experiments proposed to illustrate these concepts. Most interesting is the discussion on periodicity pitch, which musicians seem to have a knack for. Also interesting is the treatment of vocal formants, which are frequency regions in which harmonics have large amplitudes. Due to the element of subjectivity in hearing and listening, the connection of the material in this chapter to "psychophysics" and "psychoacoustics" is readily apparent.

Most of the next chapter is out-dated since the authors discuss sound reproduction using LPs and tape recorders. However, the authors do discuss how this is done using compact disks, which though are themselves on their way out, due to the rise of the Internet, MP3 formats, and digital music files. Chapter 8 is timeless though, as the authors discuss the acoustics of auditoriums and rooms, detailing the most important acoustical characteristics that contribute to a pleasant musical experience, and some of the problems that arise in acoustical design. The last section of the chapter gives a fairly good overview of what is involved in setting up a home listening room.

In chapter 9, the authors take the plunge into music theory, discussing temperament and musical pitch. The history behind these concepts is detailed, emphasizing in particular that an ideal temperamentis not available, its choice being dictated by the musical requirements at hand.Arithmetic descriptions of the Pythagorean, just, mean-tone, Werckmeister, and equal temperaments are given.

The last five chapters are specialized to the principles behind woodwind, brass, string, and percussion instruments, and the piano. The discussion is purely descriptive, but some of the physical principles studied in the first chapters of the book are applied here to give an understanding of the acoustical and musical properties of these instruments.

counterbalance to the "bites my..." review
Haven't read the book, but Mr. "bites my wacker" shouldn't be allowed to lower the average score.

This is the Book if You want to Know the"Whats" of Sound!
The Physics of Sound is a great book for both musicians and nonmuscians alike. Its not a book for anyone who is afraid of a little mind work. I recommend Physics of Sound because immediately upon after reading it Igained a whole new perspective and deep appreciation for the fundamentalelements,and principles that govern this wonderful phenomena we call"SOUND".

Ever wondered how fast sound travel? What about howvarious sound frequencies react to each other,and in rooms? What exactly issound? All these questions and more,are answered here. Physics of soundeven gives you basic formulas that allow you to manipulate sound in thereal world.

Gain Knowledge,Gain Insight,Gain information. ... Read more

Book Description
This book contains a collection of papers by authors of the Former Soviet Union. The topics covered are media with "structural" nonlinearities, optical generation of sound, acoustic beat-wave interactions, acoustic shock waves, thermal self-focusing of acoustic waves, solitons, statistical nonlinear acoustics, media with relaxation and oscillatory degrees of freedom, parametric arrays, and fluid cavitation. ... Read more

Book Description
Acoustics and Psychoacoustics is ideal for students of music technology, sound recording, traditional music and acoustics, as well as engineers studying audio, multimedia and communications systems. Gain a practical understanding of how real musical sounds behave and are perceived in real spaces with this accessible and interesting read.

This third edition offers a CD of audio examples, crucial for a clear understanding of the concepts discussed.

Visit the book's supporting website athttp://books.elsevier.com/0240519957 for additional resources such as:
* Questions and exercises to test your knowledge
* Web links for further resources and research
* Audio clips
* Calculation facilities (eg. adding decibel values and converting between frequency ratio and cents/semitones)
This website can also be reached via www.focalpress.com

* A broad-ranging introduction to acoustics and psychoacoustics
* Gain a practical understanding of the subject with this highly accessible guide
* For a clear understanding of the concepts discussed follow the accompanying CD of audio examples ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A good, gentle introduction to acoustics
Seems to be an easier acoustics text than the classic Rossing and similar approaches. The focus is sufficiently practical to bring in generalist or the technician who wants to understand a bit more, but also sufficiently deep to satisfy anyone other than a physicist. But they'd just add another book on, and be happy as well. ... Read more

Book Description
While the history of musical instruments is nearly as old as civilization itself, the science of acoustics is quite recent. By understanding the physical basis of how instruments are used to make music, one hopes ultimately to be able to give physical criteria to distinguish a fine instrument from a mediocre one. At that point science may be able to come to the aid of art in improving the design and performance of musical instruments. As yet, many of the subtleties in musical sounds of which instrument makers and musicians are aware and remain beyond the reach of modern acoustic measurements. Indeed, for many musical instruments it is only within the past few years that musical acoustics has achieved even a reasonable understanding of the basic mechanisms determining the tone quality, and in some cases even major features of the sounding mechanism have only recently been unravelled. This book describes the results of such acoustical investigations-intellectual and practical exercises of great fascination. Addressed to readers with a reasonable grasp of physics who are not put off by a little mathematics, this book discusses most of the traditional instruments currently in use in Western music. This second edition has been thoroughly revised to take into account the insights arising from recent research, and to generalize or clarify the presentation in many places. The book should continue to serve as a guide for all who have an interest in music and how it is produces as well as serving as a comprehensive reference for those undertaking research in the field. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Hard-core book on the physics of musical instruments
This is a one-of-a-kind book on the physics of musical instruments. However, be aware that it is a book about physics ONLY. There are no hints or exercises on how to model musical instruments, nothing on acoustics or psychoacoustics, synthesis, etc. In other words, do not expect an expanded version of Perry Cook's book "Real Sound Synthesis for Interactive Applications". If you can deal with these expectations, then this is a worthwhile read for those interested in the pure physics of musical instruments who are willing to do the work of implementing the synthesis themselves, if that is the reader's ultimate goal. The first eight chapters of the book provide some pretty good background material on vibrating systems and sound waves that should be read sequentially. However, from chapter 9 through 21 the author just presents the physics of each instrument with no real organization by chapter, unless you count the fact that the physics of the instruments are presented in groups organized as either percussion, wind, or stringed instruments. There is a final chapter on materials and their properties that doesn't really fit in with previous chapters. Each chapter has an extensive bibliography. I would recommend this book for anyone interested in the physics of musical instruments and has the necessary mathematical maturity to handle the material. The reader who has taken a year of college physics with maybe a specific class on acoustics and who also is comfortable with calculus and both partial and ordinary differential equations would be best qualified to make the most of the information in this book. Having had a course in the EE topic of Signals and Systems wouldn't hurt either when it comes to the discussions of frequency analysis and response.
The books that helped me get through the math and physics of this volume were Kinsler's "Fundamentals of Acoustics", "Introduction to Partial Differential Equations with Applications" by Zachmanoglou, and finally, an out-of-print work: "Schaum's Outline of Acoustics" by Seto, ISBN 0070563284.

The best reference work under this title.
This is the long-awaited second edition of Fletcher & Rossing.Note first that it really is a reference work, not a teaching text.There is no lesson plan, no problems, no solutions manual, no accompanying workbookExcept for the first two foundation sections on vibrating systems and sound waves, there is no ongoing development.Nothing builds.It's just one topic piled on another.
But the great merit of reference works is that you can cherry-pick, i.e. seek information on isolated topics with little concern for what preceded them.As a reference work, F&R get the highest possible marks from me.They are clearly the masters of this field, not least because of their numerous important contributions to it.With the possible exception of the works of Arthur Benade, they own the business.
Despite its enormous size and great depth of coverage, however, it is not an encyclopedic study of musical instruments.It is exactly what the title says: a work on the PHYSICS of musical instruments.A rigid boundary has been drawn between physics and every other aspect of music-making.In particular, psychoacoustics is totally ignored.There are no entries in the index under loudness, Fletcher-Munson, combination tones, false bass, consonance, dissonance, etc.Even equal temperament tuning gets little more than one page out of 756.
The Preface says the work is addressed to "the reader...who is not frightened by a little mathematics."Well, some of the math is "little" but some of it is not.See for example the use of Green's functions to find the air load on a vibrating membrane, pp. 588-590.Perhaps at MIT, where incoming freshman are sorted out by the do-or-die killer course in mathematical physics from Morse & Feshbach, these methods are taught to undergrads, but not at most other schools.Almost everywhere else this would be considered first-year graduate material.These pages would not only frighten the average reader; they frighten me.I always hated Green's functions and considered it part of my mission in life to prune them away wherever they grew.
There are a few typos, mislabeled equations and the like.The next-to-last sentence of text on p. 232 says, "This is an adquate approximation provided the sound wavelength is small compared to the transverse dimensions of the ducts and cavities involved."Surely "small" should read "large."
In sum, not for beginners, and probably not for most musicians either.But within its compass it reigns supreme.There is no better book in this field.

An excellent musical acoustics book
The new 1998 edition of Fletcher and Rossing is an excellent book foranyone working in musical acoustics or building instruments. Covers a widerange of instruments and gives extensive references to primary literatureand ... it's good reading too. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Spring back with Physics
Young and Freedman's University Physics is thorough and well-explained.It is also at times very interesting and brings together a lot of material in a cohesive way.However, I do have some problems with how the example problems sometimes have nothing to do with the end of chapter problems, or else they explain the easiest problems and then ask us to do really difficult problems that we've not seen before.But in all, as Physics books go, it's a pretty decent choice. ... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (2)

Still could be helpful
Although this book was first published over 50 years ago, there are still many parts of it that can still be read profitably, due mostly to the fact that musical theory and the physics of musical instruments does not change with time. I read the book years ago to get some ideas for physics demonstrations in the classroom, and it was of great assistance in that regard. Those readers who intend to specialize in musical engineering would still find it a useful supplement to more modern treatments. The audio CD of course was not known at the time of publication, nor even the 8-track tape, but the development of both of these technologies was dependent on what came before them, and so a perusal of this book will allow insight into more contemporary technologies. The book also is one of the first to emphasize the psychological factors that must be taken into account when developing a technology for sound reproduction. The author in fact emphasizes the need for paying attention to the psychological factors in the preface to the second edition of the book. With the incredible advances in sound reproduction that have taken place since this book was written, one can appreciate his comments even more. One can only give thanks to the ingenuity of the sound and musical engineers both in the author's time and now for giving the listener an incredibly rich and satisfying auditory experience.

From the Father of the Mark II
The science of musical sound has evolved a great deal since 1966 when the second edition of 'Music, Physics and Engineering' was first published.However, this historical work can be of value to musical engineers even intoday's fast changing technological world.

The author, Harry F. Olson wasstaff vice president of the acoustical and electromechanical researchdepartment of RCA laboratories.The thorough science reported in this bookwas perhaps instrumental in the development of the RCA Mark II ElectronicMusic Synthesizer of the Columbia-Princeton Electronic MusicCenter.

Chapters such as: Sound Waves, Musical Terminology, MusicalScales, Resonators and Radiators, Musical Instruments, Characteristics ofMusical Instruments and Properties of Music have much to teach those withan engineering background about the science of music.

This book has beenextraordinarily useful to me in seeking to design sound events in softwarewith nothing other than a 'C' compiler and some audio file format specsheets to work with.It is a great read for the aspiring musical engineer. ... Read more

Book Description
Musical acoustics presents a unique opportunity to see science and art working together. This book is a balanced presentation of all aspects of musical acoustics. It explains how our ears and brains interpret musical events, and connects traditional physical analyses to musical reality. The purpose of the book is two fold: (1) To help readers use simple physical concepts as tools for understanding how music works, and (2) To use readers' interest in music to motivate the study and appreciation of scientific methods. Any given chapter will challenge readers with several points that are not obvious on the first reading. Starred sections are optional and are not a prerequisite to later sections. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

i love this book

It is a nice introductory book both for music and physics.. physics students who are learning wave theory should consider reading at least some chapters of this book..

Great starting point for studying the intersection of science and sound
This book is an excellent starting place for someone who wants a somewhat quantitative treatment of the science of sound as it relates to music, but does not have the advanced math background necessary to digest something like "The Physics of Musical Instruments". The chapters and sections in this third edition are the same as in the previous edition, however some changes have been made to the content. The book is updated with more current references to the end-of-chapter bibliographies, and there is some new material, especially in areas affected by the personal computer's role in the digital processing of sound.

The author provides an integrated understanding of three major areas: the production of sound by various sources, the propagation of sound from source to listener, and the perception of sound by the human brain.
For easier reading, each chapter starts with an introductory section that sets up the chapter. There are also summaries and lists of symbols, terms, and relations highlighting the most important terms and quantitative expressions in each chapter. There are realistic and interesting exercise sets containing both qualitative and quantitative questions for each chapter, with most chapters containing 20-25 exercises. There are also projects included that provide out-of-class assignments that generally require students to do research. There are approximately three of these in each chapter. Finally, several new photographs have been added to this third edition, particularly of the inner ear structure and of the vocal cords in motion.

Like the previous reviewer, I make a habit of purchasing and reading several textbooks a year, and sometimes I am very disappointed and sometimes I am not. This is one of those purchases that I found most worthwhile. If you are interested in the intersection of math, acoustics, perception, and musical instruments I highly recommend it. A math background up to the level of algebra and geometry should be sufficient to understand the quantitative portions of the book. The table of contents is as follows:

1. THE NATURE OF SOUND.
Acoustics and Music. Organizing Our Study of Sound. The Physical Nature of Sound. The Speed of Sound. Pressure and Sound Amplitude.
2. WAVES AND VIBRATIONS.
The Time Element in Sound. Waveforms. Functional Relations. Simple Harmonic Oscillation. Work, Energy, and Resonance.
3. SOURCES OF SOUND.
Classifying Sound Sources. Percussion Instruments. String Instruments. Wind Instruments. Source Size. Sound from the Natural Environment.
4. SOUND PROPAGATION.
Reflection and Refraction. Diffraction. Outdoor Music. The Doppler Effect. Interference and Beats.
5. SOUND INTENSITY AND ITS MEASUREMENT.
Amplitude, Energy, and Intensity. Sound Level and the Decibel Scale. The Inverse-Square Law. Environmental Noise. Combined Sound Levels and Interference.
6. THE HUMAN EAR AND ITS RESPONSE.
The Mechanism of the Human Ear. Limits of Audibility and Discrimination. Characteristics of Steady Single Tones. Loudness and Intensity. Pitch and Frequency. Pitch and Loudness Together. Timbre and Instrument Recognition.
7. ELEMENTAL INGREDIENTS OF MUSIC.
Organizing Musical Events in Time. Melody and Harmony. Scales and Intervals. The Harmonic Series.
8. SOUND SPECTRA AND ELECTRONIC SYNTHESIS.
Prototype Steady Tones. Periodic Waves and Fourier Spectra. Modulated Tones. Electronic and Computer Music.
9. PERCUSSION INSTRUMENTS AND NATURAL MODES.
Searching for Simplicity. Coupled Pendulums. Natural Modes and Their Frequencies. Tuning Forks and Xylophone Bars. Drums, Cymbals, and Bells. Striking Points and Vibration Recipes. Damped Vibrations.
10. PIANO AND GUITAR STRINGS.
Natural Modes of a Thin String. Vibration Recipes for Plucked Strings. Vibration Recipes for the Piano. Piano Scaling and Tuning.
11. THE BOWED STRING.
Violin Construction. Bowing and String Vibrations. Resonance. Sound Radiation from String Instruments.
12. BLOWN PIPES AND FLUTES.
Air Column Vibrations. Fluid Jets and Edgetones. Organ Flue Pipes. Organ Registration and Design. Fingerholes and Recorders. The Transverse Flute.
13. BLOWN REED INSTRUMENTS.
Organ Reed Pipes. The Reed Woodwinds. The Brass Family. Playable Notes and Harmonic Spectra. Radiation.
14. THE HUMAN VOICE.
The Vocal Apparatus. Sound Production. Formants. Special Characteristics of the Singing Voice.
15. ROOM ACOUSTICS.
General Criteria for Room Acoustics. Reverberation Time. Reverberation Calculation. Reverberant Sound Levels. Sound Reinforcement. Spatial Perception.
16. SOUND REPRODUCTION.
Electric and Magnetic Concepts. Transducers. Microphones. Amplifiers. Recording. Loudspeakers. Multiphonic Sound Reproduction.
17. THE EAR REVISITED.
Types of Pitch Judgment. Pitch Perception Mechanisms. Modern Pitch Perception Theory. Critical Bands. Combination Tones. Loudness and Masking. Timbre.
18. HARMONIC INTERVALS AND TUNING.
Interval Perception. Intervals and the Harmonic Series. Musical Scales. The Impossibility of Perfect Tuning. Tuning and Temperament.
19. STRUCTURE IN MUSIC.
Melodies and Modes. Chords and Harmonic Progressions. Consonance and Dissonance. Musical Forms and Styles.
20. EPILOGUE: SCIENCE AND ESTHETICS.
APPENDIX A. WRITTEN MUSIC.
APPENDIX B. THE METRIC SYSTEM.
Units for Physical Measurements. Scientific Notation and Computation.
APPENDIX G. GLOSSARY.
APPENDIX H. HINTS AND ANSWERS TO SELECTED EXERCISES.
Index.
The Chromatic Scale; The Chromatic Series Slider.

Fascinating
This book is a thorough overview of physics behind music.In the first part of the book, Hall lays the foundation with an investigation into waves, sound propagation, sound measurement, and the human ear.The middle third of the book takes up families of instruments, and how they work to create musical sounds.The last part of the book investigates room acoustics, sound reproduction, and the perception of intervals, tunings, and musical structure.Each chapter includes references and suggestions for further reading, numerous mathematical exercises for practicing the concepts covered in the chapter, and a list of potential projects for further investigation.The book includes a glossary and answers to selected problems, as well as an index.

I read quite a few textbooks for work and occasionally just for interest's sake, but this one really stands out.After reading the first few chapters, I found myself wishing I could sit in on Hall's lectures.His style is intensely personal, and his explanations are incredibly clear.I'll admit that sometimes my eyes glossed over while slogging through some of the numbers and charts, but it was mainly my fault for not being a more active reader.In order to get the most from this book, you really need to read it with calculator in hand, or better yet, an Excel spreadsheet open, ready to try out the numbers and scenarios that Hall provides us with.Nevertheless, the math is kept quite simple- -no calculus; if you can do algebra, you should be able to get through the book.

I've found the information in the book to be quite useful.Hall's description of how resonance works in drums has helped me make sense of my tabla teacher's pickiness about where my fingers strike the tabla heads.And at last I understand the physics behind why some rooms in my house are acoustically dead, and others are alive.Hall has opened up a new world of ideas for me, and I will be thinking them through for years to come.I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to know how music really works. ... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (10)

The best book I have seen
The best book on this topic that I have seen. Benade is a master of writing clearly and giving great examples that help the reader to visualize or imagine why sound is acting the way it does. I am using it in my quest to design a new kind of guitar, and it is extremely helpful. I also have Horns String and Harmony by Benade. He is a nuclear physicist with a penchant for audio, and I am glad he beat his weapons into flutes.

Just about everything
This book is close to exhaustive and can be an excellent addition to any reference library.

Excellent Introduction to Musical Acoustics
This book is an excellent introduction to the topic. Benade explains the subject assuming that the reader has no background in science (good for musicians) and no background in music (good for scientists). He writes the book as if he's translating a mathematical proof into plain English. Benade starts from scratch (even the notion of pitch is considered alien) and builds wonderfully intuitive understandings. Yes, this is an old book, so if you are NOT new to this field (and not afraid of math) then you'd be more interested in one of the Rossing books. But on the plus side, because the book was written before Benade had access to modern laboratory techniques, the "experiments" described in the book are all simple to understand and can be done at home. Unlike the Rossing books (which I also highly recommend), Benade's book does not read like a textbook or a reference source. It is very easy-to-read, so you can actually benefit from just sitting down and reading it (though Benade does provide problems at the end of the chapter for the dedicated reader).

In response to one of the unfavorable reviews posted, I do not find any fault with Benade when he states (p. 66) that "lopping off the higher frequency ... harmonics does not alter the perceived pitch of the sound." In fact, this statement comes right after an in-depth explanation of how the higher frequency partials DETERMINE the pitch for INHARMONIC sounds (e.g. chimes and bells). Perhaps the reviewer was confused by Benade's terminology. As explained on p. 63, Benade uses the word "partial" generically to describe higher frequency components. Benade reserves the term "harmonics" for partials that havewhole-number relationships.

I wouldn't use this work as a college textbook, but I would certainly add it to the students' list of additional recommended references.

An Outstanding Book, Designed to Make You Think
While Benade's first book, "Horns Strings and Harmony", has some errors which he himself later acknowledged, "Fundamentals of Musical Acoustics" is one of the seminal books in the field. That doesn't mean that it is perfect in every respect, but it introduces a broad range of concepts in musical acoustics without the use of advanced mathematics, in a writing style that will appeal to the musician in addition to the scientist. The fine details of his theories regarding psychoacoustics, particularly pitch perception, have been challenged. But his general concepts are well accepted, and he presents them in a way that makes the reader think. His descriptions of experimental techniques (which generally aren't very complicated) have inspired me and others to repeat his experiments. Sometimes, results don't agree - that's when you have to think. Psychoacoustics relies on neurology and psychology, two sciences that, despite much brilliant work over the last 100 years, are still in their infancy. So, you can't judge his theories on psychoacoustics in the same light as his description of wave propagation, room modes, and perturbation functions in clarinets.

As a musician and an engineer, I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in how music and physics intersect. This is not the book to answer all your questions - it is the book to get you started on asking the right questions.

Misleading and completely worthless book
I bought this book ...in hope to get some help in explaining basics of musical acoustics to my college-age kids in a systematic, organized manner. What a disappointment!

In page 56 the author lists "Measured Values of Components of a Set of Guitar Strings".
One would expect a discussion about string inharmonicity as an explanation why partials of different strings have different frequencies while having the same fundamental' frequency. An utterly important and well known phenomenon is "responsible" for correct musical instruments recognition and perception is completely avoided in the text. Moreover, in the page 66 we found that "It is easy to verify ... that lopping off the higher frequency members of ...harmonics does not alter the perceived pitch of the sound". This statement is simply wrong: it is an established fact that the spectrum of the sound DOES affect the perceived pith. On the page 194 another treasure left me wondering what the author meant by "Compact, small, solid objects act somewhat as new sources of sound that originate new impulses of modified shape whenever an impulse is incident upon them". Here's more of the same amusing kind on the page 574:
"Brass instruments, particularly French horns, often "talk" to one another, so that the sound radiated by one of them enters the bell of its neighbor and thence joins in at the player's lips to influence the regime of oscillation." Tell this to a brass player!

There're glowing phrase on the back cover of this book by Audio Amateur, American Scientist, Physics Today and Stereo Review. While the first and the last - now extinct - publications can be "forgiven" as being amateur indeed, the American Scientist's and Physics' credibility is drastically diminished in my eyes; it's hard for me to believe those magazines fell for this misleading and in many cases simply wrong, book.
As a whole, this Mr. Benade' creation is anything but "a landmark book in its field, hailed for its astonishingly clear, delightfully readable statement of everything of acoustical importance..." as stated on the back; rather this book is nothing more that a pathetic waste of paper. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Comprehensive, but not hands on
I bought this book for two reasons: 1) I was beginning some experiments with ultrasonics, and I wanted a "handbook" of sorts. 2) In addition to these experiments, I was wondering if I could attempt some Finite Element modelling, and I needed a book that could help me translate stress-strain data to acoustics.

For #1, I was somewhat disappointed, but it's my fault. This book is a dense, theoretical exploration of the topic of acoustics. It's first principles, through and through. It is not a quick reference handbook, not really a book you can flip through and say "oh... yes. I'll have to remember that." I was hoping for some detailed examples, but instead I've gotten more than I ever asked for. In some ways, I suppose this can be a good thing, but in others, it isn't.

For #2, I found everything I need to know in the first 6 pages. Really. Start with F = d/dt(mv) and go from there (I suppose F = ma just doesn't look complicated enough). After that, the book is already into Bessel functions in 1000 words or less.

I was really hoping for a page somewhere that said: Maxwell's Equations for Acoustics (complete with analogies between E&M and acoustics). I didn't find it. Maxwell's Equations are mentioned on page 799-800, on a mathematical assault of "magnetoacoustic waves".

This book is a lot like John David Jackson's "Classical Electrodynamics". It is *the* book, the comprehensive book, the one that all of the graduate students regard with an uncomfortable mixture of deep respect and dread. This dense, heavy book is good for slapping somebody around, both literally and figuratively. Reading through the book makes me wonder how in the heck I ever got a Ph.D. when there were people out there writng books like this. I can't give it 5 stars because I don't see how anyone can get anything out of the book without devoting half of their life to it, but I give it at least 4 stars because it's more than a person will ever need to know about acoustics. It's a masterpiece, but not practical for the scientist looking for a good reference text.

Would have been 5 stars, but too many printing errors
Overall the depth of this text is exceptional. Morse and Ingard's greatest strength is their skill at explaining the physics behind the mathematics in appropriate terms: with simple expositions when possible, but with unapologetic complexity when that is what is required to properly and precisely motivate a discussion. Exercises provided at the end of each chapter are usually challenging without being so difficult they end up discouraging the student.

Unfortunately the authors' precision is not matched by this edition's typesetters. A single errata page is included on one of the front leaves, but as the reader goes through the text he or she will quickly realize that it is littered with typesetting errors. An accurate and comprehensive list of errata would cover much more than a single page. In some cases the printers have scribbled in corrections by hand. Equation and section number references are also sometimes incorrect. Previous hardcover editions don't seem to have these issues. If you can find one, you're better off paying a few extra dollars to get it. In no way is this edition suitable as an assigned textbook for a university acoustics course, although it's invaluable a secondary reference.

Still remarkable
I am constantly amazed by this remarkable book. It remains a topical reference for theoretical methods in acoustics, despite the advent of computational methods that allow modern acousticians to solve models on their desktop. I recently had the job of reviewing a patent for an acoustic transducer -- and sure enough I found this "modern" idea in good-ol' Morse and Ingard. In my opinion it is a must.

A must for acousticians
This book was lying on the bookshelf long enough, because the title " Theoretical Acoustics" did not encourage me to take it up with any commitment. I work in the field of acoustics and I had to work on the basics of Moving Sources and that was the time I picked it up to read. The material was so clearly presented, with clear reasoning, that it motivated me to read the preceeding chapters as well.The book is very clearly written and presented. It assumes no acoustic or vibration background for the reader. The subject is built up step-by-step without comprimising on either physics or mathematics. The treatment of the subject starts with basic vibration theory, without which any further development in Acoustics is impossible and then introduces the Wave Equation. It proceeds with Radiation and Scattering of sound. This is highly relevant from the view of scattering of submarines, hulls etc., among other applications. More advanced treatment on how sound waves behave in ducts and rooms is presented. The section on structural acoustic coupling is very well presented. The entire book assumes that one has a sufficent background on fundamentals of differential equations and maths in general. If one has a flair for maths, then this is the book for acoustics. Treatment is complete with sufficient physical insight provided into the equations. This book is a must for acousticians and researchers in acoustics. An excellent work by one of the most regarded reserchers in the area of applied and theortical mathematics. ... Read more

Book Description
Suspension Acoustics: An Introduction to the Physics of Suspensions is an introduction to the physics of suspensions of bubbles, droplets, and solid particles in both gases and fluids. Rather than treating each combination separately, a unified approach is used that permits most particle-fluid combination types to be discussed together. To do this, the book first presents a detailed discussion of the basic particle motions that small particles can sustain, paying particular attention to translations and pulsations, and to the thermal effects that occur as a result of those motions. The book then introduces the reader to the dynamics and thermodynamics of suspensions, with acoustic motions providing the main focus in the latter part of the book. The important acoustic problems of attenuation and dispersion are discussed from several fundamental perspectives. The book concludes with applications of acoustic techniques to the characterization and modification of suspensions by means of acoustic waves. ... Read more

Book Description
There has always been a close connection between physics and music. From the great days of ancient Greek science, ideas and speculations have passed backward and forward between natural philosophers (physicists) and musical theorists. Measured Tones: The Interplay of Physics and Music, Second Edition explores the story of that relationship in an entertaining and user-friendly way.The book provides an easy-to-understand introduction to the physics involved in every stage of the music making process: from the very earliest experiments on vibrating strings and primitive sound makers to the latest concerns of digital sound recording, MP3 files, and information theory. At the same time, it examines the story of our developing concept of the universe we live in: from the ancient visions of a cosmos regulated by the music of the spheres to our current understanding of an expanding universe controlled by the laws of quantum mechanics and string theory. Running through all this is one recurring question - the so-called puzzle of consonance. Why do humans respond to music and musical sounds the way they do? It is the attempts by musicians and scientists through the ages to apply new knowledge to answer this question that gives this story its fascination.Measured Tones should provide rewarding reading for any physics teacher or student who would like to know more about music and where it impinges on their subject as well as for anyone who is musically inclined. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Excellent Text Book Choice
I had to buy this book for a course in Physics.It really explains things clearly and helps with understanding.

broad and quirky
this book covered more ground than i had hoped and features lucid explanations of topics traditionally belonging to a whole variety of fields, as well as substantial biographical content and historical references. at many points while reading it i found myself entraced with descriptions of clear and important aspects of music and musical instruments which i had never known about before.

i was especially interested in a book more abstract than the western musical paradigm, and it scored fairly. enough generalized explanations were included that i felt comfortable. johnston described a lot of musical instruments, but they are mostly western ones.

my only beef is with johnston's informal writing. he glosses over some details (admitting as much) and generally avoids mathematical equations. for a book which includes, for example, generalized descriptions of the movement of masses of air in adjoined chambers of varying size, it would not have been unreasonable to have more math - imho, the principal field connecting physics and music.

An unusual approach to the topic
I have used this book as the secondary text for a college course in thephysics of music.There are a number of textbooks out there for courses ofthis sort (Rossing, Backus, Rigden, etc.) but this book takes a verydifferent, historical approach, with a strong emphasis on scales andintonation.The mathematical level and level of detail are quite low--Ifound it hard to devise test questions to see whether the students had readthe book.But it is written in a quirky, engaging style, and the studentsin the course found it a more enjoyable read than the main textbook byRossing.I wouldrecommend this book toanyone interested in therelationship of history, physics, and music--no science background isrequired!

This book answered many questions
I've been trying to understand why music works like it does for several years, and stumbled onto this book by accident. It's exactly what I needed! It explains why musical scales are like they are, and how they got that way(which is important for understanding why it used to be significant whichkey some symphony was written in). It explains how harmony works, andmelody too. And, how musical instruments work. And on top of that, itincludes a very interesting history of science and of music, a veryenjoyable read.

Entertaining and historically informed account
A superior andengaging account of how progress in the physical sciences is intertwined with the development of music theory and the evolution of musical instruments.The conversational tone of the text is never dry, andis liberally sprinkled with illustrations. There is music, science andhistory a-plenty here. You do not have to be "scientificallyminded" to derive a great deal of pleasure and edification from thebook, it has definitely been thoughtfully shaped by a professionaleducator. I first read this in 1990 and return to it time and again forreference, only to find myself absorbed in re-reading sections. Obviously alabor of love, "Measured Tones" deserves a wide audience. I wishProf Johnston had written more! ... Read more

Book Description
This book, a classic in its field, deals with the physical systems and physiological processes that intervene in music. It analyzes what objective, physical properties of sound are associated with what subjective psychological sensations of music, and it describes how these sound patterns are actually generated in musical instruments, how they propagate through the environment, and how they are detected by the ear and interpreted in the brain. Using the precise language of science, but without complicated mathematics, the author weaves a close mesh of the physics, psychophysics and physiology relevant to music. A prior knowledge of physics, mathematics, physiology or psychology is not required to understand most of the book; it is, however, assumed that the reader is familiar with music - in particular, with musical notation, musical scales and intervals, and some of the basics of musical instruments. This new edition has been substantially revised and brought up to date throughout. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

This Book Is Waste
For the information contained in this book, it was one of the most awkward and long-winded reads i ever experienced. I simply do not agree with the many "kind" reviews readers have given this book. I suppose if you are into the "Harry Potter" stuff, this book may appeal to you- but if you want hard-core knowledge about sound and music, save your money. This text is basically the "glorified" lecture notes of a teachers-assistant (which the book admits), padded with ranting and commentary to "blow up" what would take no more than 20 pages to explain, into a 200+ page "yellow brick road to OZ". And it is not like the book contains "invaluable" knowledge. You can get this knowledge anywhere. With the extremely poor analysis of studies and research which the author is "suppose" to "distill" and convey to the reader, who needs this book!?! You learn nothing! With explanations so typical of a teacher's assistant author- round-about, inconcise, cute- I ended up re-reading passages several times, and afterwards, still saying to myself "what is this dude trying to say?". I already knew a lot of the information coming into this book- i bought it to fill "gaps" in my knowledge (or so i thought). I find this author is weak in the knowledge, weak in the explaining, and i am at a total loss figuring out how this author and this book has made it through three editions. I STRONGLY DO NOT RECOMMEND this book if you are trying to learn the physics of sound and music for the first time, or even the N-th time. If you buy this book, you are going to "rack your brains"!

THE best musical acoustics reference by far
I only know the first edition of Juan Roederer's The PHYSICS AND PSYCHOPHYSICS OF MUSIC (almost hot off the presses when used as a textbook for my Spring 1980 Acoustics class for music majors), which I keep close at hand and refer to often (I'm strongly tempted to update though). This first edition at least is much superior to any other musical acoustics book I've encountered, and I've encountered a fair number of them.

It isn't perfect: There is some cultural bias in its explanation of tonality, and its explanation of just tuning is ahistorical and to this extent faulty.

And there are other worthy books: There is Helmholtz's ON THE SENSATIONS OF TONE, and there is the engaging introductory gloss, SCIENCE AND MUSIC by Sir James Jeans.

Excellent introduction to the physics of music.
This is an excellent introductory book about the physics and psychophysics of music. It may be useful for general interested people as well as specialists, since it was written with little mathematics but deep conceptsand explanations. In the first chapters the author explains the basic ofthe physics of music, and then he focus on the biological aspect of hearingand perception of sounds and musical sensations. The book has also threeappendices for more advanced peoplewith harder math. Very good figuresand an easy-to-read prose complete the landscape of this outstanding bookby this argentinian well-known physicist working in the US now.

exciting, comprehensive, broad fund of knowledge
excellent review of the subject; can serve as an introductory text in a course, or for self-guided reading; an entry point into an exciting new area in science and the arts; combines and broaches what have traditionally been thought of as very diverse fields; strongly recommend to the amateur as well as to the specialist ... Read more

Book Description
This book provides a comprehensive introduction to the subject of acoustics, including the principles of human perception of sound, sometimes called psychoacoustics.





Acoustics and Psychoacoustics is ideal for students of music technology, sound recording, traditional music and acoustics, as well as engineers studying audio, multimedia and communications systems. Anyone who wants a practical understanding of how real musical sounds behave and are perceived in real spaces, will find this an accessible and interesting read.

Subjects featured include:
· Principles of sound
· Human hearing and psychoacoustics
· Musical timbre, pitch and loudness perception
· Sound generation in musical instruments
· Sound in different environments (architectural acoustics)
· Processing sound electronically

The book's second edition provides new material on wave motion, brass and woodwind instruments, forward and backward masking, an introduction to coding, and diffusion. Additional references and marginal notes explaining basic terms are provided to aid understanding.

Supporting website:
http://www-users.york.ac.uk/~dmh8/AcPsych/acpsyc.htm

Visit the book's supporting website, designed by author David Howard, for additional resources:
· Questions and exercises to test your knowledge
· Web links for further resources and research
· Audio clips
· Calculation facilities (eg. adding decibel values and converting between frequency ratio and cents/semitones)

The website can also be reached via www.focalpress.com


Professor David M Howard lectures on music technology at the University of York's Electronics Department. His research interests include the analysis and synthesis of music, speech and singing, human hearing modelling and the use of computer displays in voice teaching.He is an active organist, choral singer and choral conductor.
Dr James Angus was an instigator of the music technology courses at York, where he formerly lectured. He is now an independent consultant and researches in the area of acoustics, in particular diffuser design and audio signal processing.

Acoustics and Psychoacoustics is part of the Focal Press Music Technology Series.

*A broad-ranging introduction to acoustics and psychoacoustics
*Highly accessible for students requiring a practical understanding of the subject
*Supporting website features exam questions and links to online sources ... Read more

Product Description
Written by a noted authority in the subject area, this book is a comprehensive study of the theory and practical application of acoustics to numerous fields. It may be used as a reference by scientists and engineers or as a senior-undergraduate or graduate-level course. Several of the chapters include notes and numerical results from the author s involvement in specific projects, and contain hitherto unpublished material. Items in this category are aero-acoustic instabilities, flow interaction with acoustic resonators, sound propagation in the atmosphere, sound generation by fans, aspects of nonlinear acoustics, the analysis of an oscillator withdry friction,and a discussion of the frequency response of the ear. ... Read more

Book Description
This two volume set presents an overview of the important research areas in which Professor H. Überall has done his life's work and constitutes a festschrift for this distinguished physicist. Each chapter is intended to serve as a bridge between advanced textbooks and the most recent research literature, thereby providing a valuable reference for active researchers as well as for graduate students. ... Read more