SCIENCE AND MUSIC

Physics, chemistry, mathematics and electronics are the hidden music makers in a concert hall, in your living room hi-fi, in little sister's piano practice. A brief introduction to the basic science of sound prepares us for a separate, detailed look at such specific sound makers as the voice, stringed instruments, the piano, percussion instruments, the woodwinds and the brasses. We explore the inner workings of each with a view toward a scientific understanding of how they function. The birth and growth of the phonograph unveils the mysteries of recording today both in the making and in the playing back and explains the intricacies of hi-fi. There are 80 line drawings and diagrams by Gustav Schrotter and instructions on making a few simple musical instruments at home and on performing several experiments on sound. A technical depiction of music ""seen"" from the ""ears"" of the scientist.