About this course: 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.
Created by: University of Rochester
Taught by: Robert Clark, Dean of the Hajim School of Engineering & Applied Sciences and Professor
Mechanical Engineering
Taught by: Mark Bocko, Distinguished Professor and Chair
Electrical and Computer Engineering
| Commitment | 12 hours of lectures and assignments |
| Language | English |
| How To Pass | Pass all graded assignments to complete the course. |
| User Ratings |
Syllabus
WEEK 1
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.
13 videos, 8 readings
- Reading: About the Professors
- Reading: About the Teaching Assistant
- Reading: Syllabus
- Reading: Grading and Logistics
- Reading: Suggested Readings
- Reading: Building the Amplifier and Ordering the Kit
- Reading: Complex Number Proficiency Self-Assessment
- Reading: General Overview
- Video: Rob Clark Introduction
- Video: Oscillations in Space and Time
- Video: Time and Frequency Domain Representations of Sound
- Video: Auditory Perception and Sound Localization
- Video: Acoustic Resonance: Helmholtz Resonators
- Video: Acoustic Resonance: Loudspeakers
- Video: Electrical Charge and Current
- Video: Electric Fields and Electric Potential
- Video: Electrical Circuits: Kirchoff's Voltage Law
- Video: Electrical Circuits: Voltage Dividers
- Video: Volume Control and Loudness Perception
- Video: Electrical Circuits: Kirchoff's Current Law
- Video: Electrical Circuits: Nodal Analysis
WEEK 2
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)
13 videos
- Video: Resonant Modes of a String
- Video: Effects of String Parameters on Resonant Modes
- Video: Resonant Modes in a Room
- Video: Resonant Modes in a Duct
- Video: Reverberation and Room Acoustics
- Video: Power and Energy
- Video: Power and Energy Dissipation in Circuits
- Video: Real Voltage and Current Sources
- Video: Impedence Matching Derivation
- Video: Ideal and Real Current Sources
- Video: Operational Amplifiers
- Video: Using the OP AMP as a voltage follower
- Video: Inverting OP AMP Configuration
Graded: Test for Weeks 1 and 2
WEEK 3
Week 3 - Some Necessary Mathematics MB & AC Circuit Analysis
Transistors, vacuum tubes, opamps, amplification, power gain, single-stage amplifiers.
Converting sound to electrical signals –microphones and guitar pickups, converting electrical signals to sound – loudspeakers
18 videos
- Video: Derivatives
- Video: Mathematics: Sample Derivatives and Rules?
- Video: The Number e; Derivatives of sin and cos
- Video: Simple Harmonic Oscillator
- Video: Complex Numbers and Arithmetic
- Video: Complex Exponentials and Eulers Formula
- Video: Phasors
- Video: Capacitors
- Video: Transient Analysis of an RC Circuit
- Video: Frequency Response of an RC Circuit
- Video: Inductors
- Video: Transient Response of an RL Circuit
- Video: RL Lowpass and Highpass Circuits
- Video: Phasors in AC Circuit Analysis
- Video: Generalized Impedance
- Video: Circuit Analysis Example
- Video: Impedance Analysis of RL Circuit
- Video: Filters as Frequency Dependant Voltage Dividers
WEEK 4
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.
15 videos
- Video: Fourier Series of a Square Wave
- Video: Fourier Series of a Triangle Wave
- Video: Overtone Spectrums and Fourier Series
- Video: Graphical Interpretation of Fourier Series Integrals
- Video: Spectral Analysis
- Video: Spectral Analysis Examples
- Video: Filters applied to Frequency spectra
- Video: Construction of a Guitar Pickup
- Video: Electrical Model of a Guitar Pickup
- Video: Guitar Pickup Analysis Continued (wr Q)
- Video: Frequency Response of a Guitar Pickup
- Video: Loudspeaker Radiation and Directionality
- Video: Loudspeaker Radiation, Continued
- Video: Electromechanical Model of a Loudspeaker
- Video: Loudspeaker and Transducer Parameters
Graded: Test for Weeks 3 and 4
WEEK 5
Week 5 - Closed Box Loudspeaker Design RC & Ported Loudspeaker Design
Designing speaker enclosures, basic principles, interaction of speaker driver with the cabinet, why a cabinet at all? Speaker designs for home stereo, crossover networks, guitar amplifier (open) speaker enclosures, bass amplifier (closed and vented) speaker enclosures.
8 videos
- Video: General Guidelines
- Video: Closed Box Design
- Video: Design Tools and Conclusions
- Video: Model of a Ported Loudspeaker
- Video: Design of Loudspeaker Port
- Video: Design Tradeoffs
- Video: Port Design Parameters
- Video: Comparison of Closed Box and Ported Designs
WEEK 6
Week 6 - Guitar Pickup and Effects Analysis MB & Design and Construction of a Guitar Amplifier MB
Building the guitar amplifier, how to solder, getting the amp to work - systematic testing and troubleshooting. Visualizing sound waves, frequency content and tone, signal modification in electro-acoustic systems, tube amplifiers and distortion, wah pedal, talk box.
14 videos
- Video: Volume and Tone Control
- Video: Tone Control and Pickup Analysis
- Video: Tone Control and Pickup Analysis, Continued
- Video: RLC Bandpass Filters
- Video: Graphic Equalizers and Octave Filter Banks
- Video: Graphic Equalizer Simulation
- Video: Wah Pedal Circuit Analysis
- Video: Wah Pedal Circuit Analysis, Continued
- Video: Design Overview and Tone Control Analysis
- Video: Tone Control Analysis Continued
- Video: Distortion Stage Analysis
- Video: Distortion Stage Analysis, Continued
- Video: Cabinet Design for the Guitar Amplifier
- Video: Practical Considerations in Constructing the Amplifier
Graded: Final Exam
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Creators
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.
Ratings and Reviews
great mix of practice and theory
The course is great for beginners or even people with a good engineering background to learn more about electroacoustics. The idea of getting the required knowledge to built an amplifier at the end of the course is rewarding and interesting. I can recommend the course but watch the videos on 1.25 speed :D
Great Introduction! How about part 2?
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SS
Great for fundamental audio engineering