In this course students learn the basic concepts of acoustics and electronics and how they can applied to understand musical sound and make music with electronic instruments. Topics include: sound waves, musical sound, basic electronics, and applications of these basic principles in amplifiers and speaker design.
Fundamentals of Audio and Music Engineering: Part 1 Musical Sound & Electronics
Offered By
Fundamentals of Audio and Music Engineering: Part 1 Musical Sound & Electronics
University of Rochester
About this Course
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Learner Career Outcomes
33%
started a new career after completing these courses
25%
got a tangible career benefit from this course
20%
got a pay increase or promotion
Learner Career Outcomes
33%
started a new career after completing these courses
25%
got a tangible career benefit from this course
20%
got a pay increase or promotion
Shareable Certificate
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Approx. 27 hours to complete
Suggested: 12 hours of lectures and assignments
English
Subtitles: English
Syllabus - What you will learn from this course
4 hours to complete
Week 1 - Introduction RC & Introduction to Electrical Circuits MB
Introduction to oscillations and sound waves, simple oscillating systems, sound pressure, sound waves, the speed of sound, wavelength, frequency and pitch, sound pressure level, loudness, making sound, properties of musical sound versus “noise”. Electronics fundamentals - charge, current, voltage, power, resistance, Ohm’s law, DC circuits, finding currents and voltages in simple circuits.
4 hours to complete
13 videos (Total 140 min), 8 readings
13 videos
Oscillations in Space and Time 11m
Time and Frequency Domain Representations of Sound 7m
Auditory Perception and Sound Localization 15m
Acoustic Resonance: Helmholtz Resonators 16m
Acoustic Resonance: Loudspeakers 2m
Electrical Charge and Current 13m
Electric Fields and Electric Potential 14m
Electrical Circuits: Kirchoff's Voltage Law 8m
Electrical Circuits: Voltage Dividers 6m
Volume Control and Loudness Perception 7m
Electrical Circuits: Kirchoff's Current Law 13m
Electrical Circuits: Nodal Analysis 13m
8 readings
About the Professors10m
About the Teaching Assistant10m
Syllabus10m
Grading and Logistics10m
Suggested Readings10m
Building the Amplifier and Ordering the Kit10m
Complex Number Proficiency Self-Assessment10m
General Overview10m
2 hours to complete
Week 2 - Acoustic Resonance RC & Electrical Circuits MB
Reflection and absorption of sound, resonances in air columns, resonances in enclosures and rooms, diffraction and diffusion of sound, reverberation, principles of designing a good music studio. AC signals, phase and complex numbers, capacitors, inductors, transformers, impedance, AC circuits and AC circuit analysis, simple filters (high-pass, low-pass, band-pass)
2 hours to complete
13 videos (Total 84 min)
13 videos
Effects of String Parameters on Resonant Modes 7m
Resonant Modes in a Room 4m
Resonant Modes in a Duct 6m
Reverberation and Room Acoustics 8m
Power and Energy 6m
Power and Energy Dissipation in Circuits 9m
Real Voltage and Current Sources6m
Impedence Matching Derivation 4m
Ideal and Real Current Sources 7m
Operational Amplifiers 6m
Using the OP AMP as a voltage follower 4m
Inverting OP AMP Configuration 4m
1 practice exercise
Test for Weeks 1 and 256m
2 hours to complete
Week 3 - Some Necessary Mathematics MB & AC Circuit Analysis
Transistors, vacuum tubes, opamps, amplification, power gain, single-stage amplifiers.
2 hours to complete
18 videos (Total 148 min)
18 videos
Derivatives 7m
Mathematics: Sample Derivatives and Rules?5m
The Number e; Derivatives of sin and cos 8m
Simple Harmonic Oscillator 11m
Complex Numbers and Arithmetic 10m
Complex Exponentials and Eulers Formula 11m
Phasors 8m
Capacitors 9m
Transient Analysis of an RC Circuit 8m
Frequency Response of an RC Circuit 5m
Inductors 8m
Transient Response of an RL Circuit 5m
RL Lowpass and Highpass Circuits 6m
Phasors in AC Circuit Analysis 8m
Generalized Impedance 9m
Circuit Analysis Example 8m
Impedance Analysis of RL Circuit 6m
Filters as Frequency Dependant Voltage Dividers 7m
3 hours to complete
Week 4 - AC Signals & Loudspeakers and Radiation RC
Electric guitar electronics, pickup design, pickup placement and tone, volume control circuits, tone control circuits. Overview of a simple guitar amplifier, power supply, volume control, preamp, tone control, power amp section.
3 hours to complete
15 videos (Total 127 min)
15 videos
Fourier Series of a Triangle Wave 3m
Overtone Spectrums and Fourier Series 9m
Graphical Interpretation of Fourier Series Integrals 7m
Spectral Analysis 7m
Spectral Analysis Examples 10m
Filters applied to Frequency spectra 9m
Construction of a Guitar Pickup 8m
Electrical Model of a Guitar Pickup 9m
Guitar Pickup Analysis Continued (wr Q) 7m
Frequency Response of a Guitar Pickup 6m
Loudspeaker Radiation and Directionality 10m
Loudspeaker Radiation, Continued 8m
Electromechanical Model of a Loudspeaker 9m
Loudspeaker and Transducer Parameters 8m
1 practice exercise
Test for Weeks 3 and 41h
Reviews
4.6
TOP REVIEWS FROM FUNDAMENTALS OF AUDIO AND MUSIC ENGINEERING: PART 1 MUSICAL SOUND & ELECTRONICS
by ISOct 26, 2016
Absolutely Excellent Course, Fantastic teaching; I found the circuit analysis for the last two weeks really challenging (in a good way). Very glad I stuck with it and finished it.
by AKSep 20, 2015
Good course. I enjoyed watching the lectures, especially from Bocco. The quizzes were also very representative of the course materials. Thanks for a good learning experience.
by AYSep 11, 2015
Good course for audio enthusiasts. A compilation of basic electric circuits and audio waves.\n\nI enjoyed very much. Would be great if lecture notes were provided.\n\nThanks
by HMMar 9, 2018
Very good course, some of the math is a bit advanced, but the explanations are excellent. Thank you very much for this opportunity. I am eagerly waiting for the part 2!!
by RGApr 17, 2017
Curso muito Bom! Completo com diversos assuntos interessantes para quem é músico e se interessa pela parte técnica. Uma boa revisão para os engenheiros eletrônicos!
by TTJun 13, 2018
Great course. It teaches all the fundamentals in electronic engineering and acoustic engineering and how to analyze complex systems using basic but powerful tools.
by BTOct 22, 2016
As a retired EE this was a fun course for me to take, but it does cover a lot of territory quickly. I really liked the more practical aspects of the course
by CSOct 20, 2016
Excellent Course. I can't wait for part 2 after this course. Thank you to instruction for sharing their experience and knowledge with us.
by JJNov 27, 2017
very nice course to learn new something about the fundamentals of audio and music engineering, musicalsounds and eloctronics
by SKAug 3, 2019
A lot of things to learn from physics of musicality to circuitry analysis of guitar pickups, Wah pedals, Filters.
by FHApr 10, 2017
Very interested information but I thought that the focus was for other thing instead a guitar amplifier
by RRSep 18, 2018
I learned so much and I found it so interesting I think I am going to go through it again.
Offered by
University of Rochester
The University of Rochester is one of the nation's leading private universities. Located in Rochester, N.Y., the University provides exceptional opportunities for interdisciplinary study and close collaboration with faculty through its unique cluster-based curriculum. Its College, School of Arts and Sciences, and Hajim School of Engineering and Applied Sciences are complemented by its Eastman School of Music, Simon School of Business, Warner School of Education, Laboratory for Laser Energetics, School of Medicine and Dentistry, School of Nursing, Eastman Institute for Oral Health, and the Memorial Art Gallery.
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