Acoustics
The foremost function of the audio engineer is to judge,
shape, order and assemble sound. It is most important for them to
develop an intuitive response to the audio frequency spectrum. The
acoustics course assists this development by studying auditory phenomena
from two distinct viewpoints:
1. The essential physical nature and behaviour
of sound, in so far as it is an objective event that may be
analyzed and measured.
2. Since our perception of audio events is a
function of the environment within which the sound is produced,
we study room acoustics, which allows us to predict, design,
analyze and modify environments for specific acoustic effect.
Today's tool of choice for acousticians, aside
from their own ears, is the computer. Acoustical measurements,
calculations and analysis are performed and explored in the world
of software. This allows once long and tedious processes to be
instantly accessible by the operator. Lab support is provided
by the Acoustic X and ETF software as well as workshops in the
Acoustics Research Lab.
Course Outline
| Topic |
Format |
| Simple Vibrating Systems, Basic Terminology |
Lectures |
| Superposition of Waves, Phase and Interference
|
Lectures |
| Examining Vibrations in Musical Instruments |
Lectures |
| Properties of Sound Waves |
Lectures |
| Doppler Shift and The Universal Wave Equation |
Lectures |
| Room Acoustics |
Lectures |
| Room Modes, Calculations and Effects |
Lectures |
| RT 60, Absorption Coefficients, Sabine Equation |
Lectures |
| Room Control Devices - Diffusers and Absorbers |
Lectures |
| Control Room Design Principles |
Lectures |
| Modal Response |
Lectures/Labs |
| Speaker Placement Guidelines |
Lectures/Labs |
| Ray Tracing |
Lectures/Labs |
| Optimizing RT60 |
Lectures/Labs |
| Room Analysis and Testing |
Lectures/Labs |
| Studio Construction Techniques |
Lectures |
| Isolation and Transmission |
Lectures |
| Total Class Hours |
18 |
| Total Lab Hours |
7 |
| Course Length |
1.5 Semester |
|
