Course detail
Acoustics of Musical Instruments and Human Voice
FEKT-BPC-ANHAcad. year: 2018/2019
The subject deals with the five basic shapes of acoustic or electronic/virtual wave, the registers of musical instruments regarding spectral saturation and their loudness, the mixing of sound colours, masking and categories of the dynamic behaviour of a tone. Furthermore, the traditional as well as modern tone systems are characterized from the viewpoint of interpretation, types of listening rooms regarding their acoustics, the most frequent types of chamber bodies, variants of dispositions of a symphonic orchestra (European, American, etc.), the most common forms of vocal bands, and the most common configurations from other genres (rock, jazz, country).
Language of instruction
Number of ECTS credits
Mode of study
Guarantor
Department
Learning outcomes of the course unit
- describe an ADSR sound envelope,
- name basic tonal systems and characterize them in terms of interpretation,
- describe keyboard, string, and wind instruments, both wood and brass, in terms of interpretation,
- describe solo voice singing and vocal bands,
- describe chamber bodies and bands in the area of popular music and symphonic orchestras and describe their most frequent configurations.
Prerequisites
Co-requisites
Planned learning activities and teaching methods
- Lectures provide the explanation of basic principles, subject methodology, examples of problems and their solutions. They are complemented with listening to recordings.
- Laboratory exercises support practical acquiring of themes presented at lectures. Active participation of students is needed.
Participation at lectures is recommended. Participation at other ways of instruction is checked.
Assesment methods and criteria linked to learning outcomes
Course curriculum
2. ADSR sound envelope.
3. Tonal systems: pythagorean, natural, tempered.
4. Tonal systems: exotic, micro-interval-based, etc.
5. Keyboard instruments.
6. String instruments.
7. Wood instruments
8. Brass instruments.
9. Solo voice.
10. Polyphonic singing.
11. Chamber bodies.
12. Popular music group setups.
13. Symphonic orchestra.
Work placements
Aims
Specification of controlled education, way of implementation and compensation for absences
Recommended optional programme components
Prerequisites and corequisites
Basic literature
Burhauser, J., Špedla, A.: Akustické základy orchestrace, Praha 1967
Cook, P. R. : Music, Cognition and Computerized Sound, An Introduction to Psychoacustics
Forró D.: Musitronika, elektroakustické hudební nástroje. II. Analogové a analogově-digitální syntetizéry, JAMU, Brno 2001
Forró D.: Musitronika, elektroakustické hudební nástroje. IV. Samplery, JAMU, Brno 2001
Recommended reading
Classification of course in study plans