Module overview
This module studies musical instruments from the orchestra and beyond, and applies engineering understanding of their physical mechanisms to explore why they sound the way they do. It also explores the issues raised by attempting to understand how an instrument works such as the psychology of subjective perceptions and how they can be quantified, the role of nonlinearity in determining the sound of an instrument and the effects of uncertainty and variability in characterising an ostensibly similar group of instruments. These are all issues which occur in a wide range of realworld engineering problems.
Aims and Objectives
Learning Outcomes
Disciplinary Specific Learning Outcomes
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- Explain how a musical instrument works by relating its physical mechanisms to its sound.
- Express critical thinking about musical instruments and other subjects through coherent written essays
- Understand how different research modalities can extend our knowledge of musical instruments.
- Read and understand the literature of musical instrument acoustics.
Syllabus
1. Overview of the subject.
2. Sound perception.
3. Strings in free vibration.
4. Bowed stringed instruments.
5. Review of fluid dynamics.
6. Brass instruments.
7. Woodwind.
8. Voice.
9. Percussion.
Learning and Teaching
Teaching and learning methods
There will be a weekly double-slot lecture given either by the module co-ordinator or a guest lecturer with a particular interest in the subject of that lecture. There will also be two supervised laboratory sessions, one computational and the other involving sound measurements from an instrument.
| Type | Hours |
|---|---|
| Follow-up work | 36 |
| Practical classes and workshops | 6 |
| Preparation for scheduled sessions | 12 |
| Wider reading or practice | 18 |
| Lecture | 24 |
| Tutorial | 2 |
| Completion of assessment task | 52 |
| Total study time | 150 |
Resources & Reading list
Textbooks
Fletcher, N. H. and Rossing, T. D. The Physics of Musical Instruments. Springer.
Other Materials.
Assessment
Formative
This is how we’ll give you feedback as you are learning. It is not a formal test or exam.
Essay
- Assessment Type: Formative
- Feedback: Small-group tutorials will be held after the first essay for detailed constructive verbal feedback and peer discussion (formative).
- Final Assessment: No
- Group Work: No
Summative
This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| Laboratory Report | 20% |
| Essay | 60% |
| Laboratory Report | 20% |
Referral
This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| Essay | 60% |
| Laboratory Report | 20% |
| Laboratory Report | 20% |
Repeat
An internal repeat is where you take all of your modules again, including any you passed. An external repeat is where you only re-take the modules you failed.
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| Lab Report | 20% |
| Lab Report | 20% |
| Essay | 60% |
Repeat Information
Repeat type: Internal & External