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SCIMA-3000-1: The Math of Sound

Summer 2022

Subject: Science and Math
Type: Seminar
Delivery Mode: Online
Level: Undergraduate

Course Dates: June 01, 2022 — July 22, 2022
Meetings: Mon/Wed 3:00-05:00PM
Instructor: TBD

Units: 3.0
Enrolled: 13/16

Description:

At its heart, this course is an exploration into sonic practices. Through observation and experimentation, we'll investigate how we can use math to describe, analyze, and predict the physical and ephemeral characteristics of sound and music. Why is the bass always the loudest thing coming through the walls when my housemate plays music? Why does an ambulance siren sound “warbly” when it passes by? What makes a sad song “sound” sad? Questions like these will guide our inquiry into a numerical, algebraic, and graphical analysis of sound. We will do this through listening, sounding, and critical play and curiosity. Specific topics will include sound as a physical wave and vibration, the design and acoustics of instruments and spaces, intervallic relationships in music theory, and interdisciplinary interpretations of sound. Students will also have the opportunity to create their own sonic composition using data analysis and various algorithmic methodologies.

Pre-Requisites and Co-Requisites:

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