A Guide To Musical Acoustics

This Dover edition is an unabridged and corrected republication of the work originally published in 1956.

Music : acoustics and physics - Creation and transmission of musical sounds - Hearing musical sounds - Anatomy of a musical note - Playing in tune - Sound production in musical instruments - Musical environment.

Landmark book hailed for exceptionally clear, delightfully readable explication of everything acoustically important to music-making. Includes over 300 illustrations. Examples, experiments, and questions conclude each chapter.

While the history of musical instruments is nearly as old as civilisation 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 remain beyond the reach of modern acoustic measurements. This book describes the results of such acoustical investigations - fascinating intellectual and practical exercises. 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. A guide for all who have an interest in music and how it is produced, as well as serving as a comprehensive reference for those undertaking research in the field.