21M.369 / 21M.569, Spring 2025
Instructor: Mark Rau
Meets: TR 11:00-12:30, W18-1311
Covers the physics and acoustics of music and musical instruments, computational models of musical acoustics, and digital signal processing techniques for audio effects. Topics include the basics of sound propagation and auditory perception; the specific acoustical phenomena of wind, string, and percussion instruments as well as the voice; room acoustics; vibration and acoustic measurement techniques; historical contexts of instrument designs; instrument building and design; music synthesis; physical modeling synthesis including digital waveguides, modal models, and finite difference schemes; programming of digital audio effects such as equalization and filtering, delay effects, dynamic range control, reverberation, and distortion.
Emphasis will be placed on practical applications including measurements, real-time audio programming, critical listening, and physical making. Many problem sets and labs will feature creative and artistic uses of the techniques being studied. Students will work on a significant final project with topics including building an instrument, augmenting an instrument with an acoustic or digital intervention, developing a synthesis model of an instrument, or programming a real-time audio effect not covered in the class. Students taking the graduate version will complete extended assignments.