The Physics and Psychophysics of Music: An Introduction (Paperback)

~ Juan G. Roederer (Author)
Key Phrases: complex tones, sound intensity level, music perception, Sound Vibrations, Musical Sounds, Perception of Timbre (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

This book, a classic in its field, deals with the physical systems and physiological processes that intervene in music. It analyzes what objective, physical properties of sound are associated with what subjective psychological sensations of music, and it describes how these sound patterns are actually generated in musical instruments, how they propagate through the environment, and how they are detected by the ear and interpreted in the brain. Using the precise language of science, but without complicated mathematics, the author weaves a close mesh of the physics, psychophysics and physiology relevant to music. A prior knowledge of physics, mathematics, physiology or psychology is not required to understand most of the book; it is, however, assumed that the reader is familiar with music - in particular, with musical notation, musical scales and intervals, and some of the basics of musical instruments. This new edition has been substantially revised and brought up to date throughout.

Product Details

• Paperback: 236 pages
• Publisher: Springer; 3rd edition (October 31, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0387943668
• ISBN-13: 978-0387943664
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.2 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #954,236 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent introduction to the physics of music., June 25, 2000

By	Guillermo Jorge (Argentina) - See all my reviews

This is an excellent introductory book about the physics and psychophysics of music. It may be useful for general interested people as well as specialists, since it was written with little mathematics but deep concepts and explanations. In the first chapters the author explains the basic of the physics of music, and then he focus on the biological aspect of hearing and perception of sounds and musical sensations. The book has also three appendices for more advanced people with harder math. Very good figures and an easy-to-read prose complete the landscape of this outstanding book by this argentinian well-known physicist working in the US now.

17 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars THE best musical acoustics reference by far, April 19, 2001

By A Customer

I only know the first edition of Juan Roederer's The PHYSICS AND PSYCHOPHYSICS OF MUSIC (almost hot off the presses when used as a textbook for my Spring 1980 Acoustics class for music majors), which I keep close at hand and refer to often (I'm strongly tempted to update though). This first edition at least is much superior to any other musical acoustics book I've encountered, and I've encountered a fair number of them.

It isn't perfect: There is some cultural bias in its explanation of tonality, and its explanation of just tuning is ahistorical and to this extent faulty.

And there are other worthy books: There is Helmholtz's ON THE SENSATIONS OF TONE, and there is the engaging introductory gloss, SCIENCE AND MUSIC by Sir James Jeans.

11 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars exciting, comprehensive, broad fund of knowledge, May 21, 1998

By A Customer

excellent review of the subject; can serve as an introductory text in a course, or for self-guided reading; an entry point into an exciting new area in science and the arts; combines and broaches what have traditionally been thought of as very diverse fields; strongly recommend to the amateur as well as to the specialist