HNRS 220 Good Vibrations - The Art and Physics of Music
Sound is created by vibrations that cause waves, but not all sound waves create music. One way to understand the distinction between sound and music is through physics. The course is intended to provide students with insight into the scientific basis for sound and music and how that in turn influences how we understand music as art. Topics covered in the course will include the basic physics of sound, resonance, scales, and tuning, the acoustic properties of performing spaces, the effect of music on the auditory system, and the emotional effects of sound. The class format will primarily feature group discussion of assigned reading. The ability to read traditional musical notation is strongly recommended. Students must have completed high school levels of algebra with some familiarity with trigonometry.