Course detail

Acoustics of Musical Instruments and Human Voice

FEKT-BPC-ANHAcad. year: 2025/2026

The subject deals with the five basic shapes of acoustic or electronic/virtual wave, the registers of musical instruments regarding spectral saturation and their loudness, the mixing of sound colours, masking and categories of the dynamic behaviour of a tone. Furthermore, the traditional as well as modern tone systems are characterized from the viewpoint of interpretation, types of listening rooms regarding their acoustics, the most frequent types of chamber bodies, variants of dispositions of a symphonic orchestra (European, American, etc.), the most common forms of vocal bands, and the most common configurations from other genres (rock, jazz, country).

Language of instruction

Czech

Number of ECTS credits

4

Mode of study

Not applicable.

Entry knowledge

The knowledge of basic concepts of musical acoustics, capabilities and limitations of musical instruments, and the influence of room acoustics on the interpretation of music.

Rules for evaluation and completion of the course

Evaluation of study results follows Rules for Studies and Examinations of BUT and Dean's Regulation to the Rules for Studies and Examinations of BUT. Credit is given for creation of stereophonic recording of sound of musical instrument.
To obtain the credit it is necessary to complete at least 10 exercises during semester. Other forms of the checked instructions are specified by a regulation issued by the guarantee of the course and updated for every academic year.

Aims

The aim of the course is to familiarize students with the basic shapes of acoustic and electronic waves, registers of instruments, the mixing of sound colours, tonal systems, types of rooms in terms of their acoustics, types of music bands and groupings including the most common configurations.
The student will be able to:
- describe an ADSR sound envelope,
- name basic tonal systems and characterize them in terms of interpretation,
- describe keyboard, string, and wind instruments, both wood and brass, in terms of interpretation,
- describe solo voice singing and vocal bands,
- describe chamber bodies and bands in the area of popular music and symphonic orchestras and describe their most frequent configurations.

Study aids

Not applicable.

Prerequisites and corequisites

Not applicable.

Basic literature

Blatter, A. : Instrumentation and Orchestration, Wadsworth Pub Co, 1997
Burhauser, J., Špedla, A.: Akustické základy orchestrace, Praha 1967
Cook, P. R. : Music, Cognition and Computerized Sound, An Introduction to Psychoacustics
Forró D.: Musitronika, elektroakustické hudební nástroje. II. Analogové a analogově-digitální syntetizéry, JAMU, Brno 2001
Forró D.: Musitronika, elektroakustické hudební nástroje. IV. Samplery, JAMU, Brno 2001

Recommended reading

Not applicable.

Classification of course in study plans

  • Programme BPC-AUD Bachelor's

    specialization AUDB-ZVUK , 2 year of study, summer semester, compulsory

Type of course unit

 

Lecture

26 hod., optionally

Teacher / Lecturer

Syllabus

Binaurální slyšení, zóny ve stereu. Základní tvary vlny: sinusová, trojúhelníková, obdélníková, pilovitá, pulsní, šumová, související spektrum. Kurfüstovo dělení nástroje na části: excitátor, oscilátor, rezonátor, radiátor. Parametry, veličiny a jednotky. Výškový a dynamický rozsah nástrojů, rejstříky nástroje. Spojitost mezi nástroji akustickými, elektro-akustickými, elektronickými, virtuálními.

Laboratory exercise

14 hod., compulsory

Teacher / Lecturer

Syllabus

Binaurální slyšení, zóny ve stereu. Základní tvary vlny: sinusová, trojúhelníková, obdélníková, pilovitá, pulsní, šumová, související spektrum. Kurfüstovo dělení nástroje na části: excitátor, oscilátor, rezonátor, radiátor. Parametry, veličiny a jednotky. Výškový a dynamický rozsah nástrojů, rejstříky nástroje. Spojitost mezi nástroji akustickými, elektro-akustickými, elektronickými, virtuálními.