Musical Acoustics, Synthesis, and Audio Effects

Musical Acoustics, Synthesis, and Audio Effects 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 such as 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.

Mark Rau is an assistant professor of Music Technology at MIT, holding a shared appointment between Music and Theater Arts and Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. Rau is interested in the fields of musical acoustics, vibration and acoustic measurement, audio signal processing, and physical modeling synthesis, among other areas. As a lifelong guitarist, his research tends to focus on anything that involves guitars or audio effects often used with guitars. These interests—combined with a passion for physical design and making—have led to an interest in luthiery, which in turn helps guide his research in musical instrument acoustics, measurement, and modeling.

Biography: MIT Music and Theater Arts and Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics (CCRMA), Stanford University