Introduction

Introduction

Acoustics is the branch of physics that deals with the study of sound sources, sound propagation, applications of sound waves, noise control, etc.

Music is the art of organizing sounds

Music acoustics is a meeting place for science, art and technology

Read Music Acoustics - A recent field of research with roots in ancient Greece by Gregor Widholm

Acoustique

L’acoustique est à l’interface de plusieurs domaines de la physique

selon le domaine d’application, le milieu de propagation, le type de source, on s’intéresse également au domaines suivants :

Électricité , Matériaux, Médecine, Géologie, Traitement du signal, Musique, Architecture, Perception, … etc.

Fields of Music acoustics applications

Musical instruments manufacturing

Computer softwares to design new instruments, optimization of existing instruments, new materials, electroacoustic and/or electronic instruments, hybrid / smart instruments (with sensors, actuators and active control), measurement tools (mechanics, vibrations, acoustics), analysis and modelling to replicate ancient instruments, …

Softwares and audio coding

Synthetizers, physical modelling based synthesis, sound analysis, signal processing, sound design, musical signal analysis + psychoacoustics -> compressed audio formats (mp3, AAC, ogg, opus, …)

Electroacoustics

Music acoustics is also related to audio numerics and electroacoustics : Sound recording engeenering, loudspeakers, microphones, sound spatialisation, …

Composition

Signal processing and synthesis softwares: Knowledge on sound and psychoacoustics contributes largely to contemporary music Analysis and control tools

Science and technology

Music acoustics is related to scientific knowledge and applications

Sound sources

Musical instruments are complex sound sources that result from decades or centuries of optimization to produce sound at well controlled frequencies

Studying musical instruments is helpful to understand sound sources, noise generation and noise control in general, for any application.

Examples:

Engeenering including electroacoustics & perception

R&D for musical instruments manufacturing, multimedia devices, entertainment industry (music, , smartphone applications, sound design (multimedia, subjective perception of the quality of objects/devices/vehicles/ect), virtual acoustics, electroaoustics (loudspeakers, microphones, sound spatialisation equipment, 3D sound standards), … innovation in general, …

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Tools

Scientific softwares and coding languages

Audio signal editor

Signal processing, spectrum analysis

Audio programming language / Music

Ressources

websites

Books

Lister ref biblio