Course Objectives:  This class is designed to provide an understanding of the physical acoustics concepts underlying sound  production, propagation, and detection, music and  musical instruments, the human voice and hearing, and acoustics of the environment.  Topics will include: general properties of sound, applications to musical instruments, the human ear, the human voice, room acoustics, electronic reproduction and synthesis of sound, harmonics, tone quality, pitch and musical scales.
 
Course Approach:  This class will focus on the physical concepts of musical acoustics. Lectures, lecture demonstrations, computer simulations, guest speakers (instrumentalists), small group hands-on activities exploring various concepts, and class discussions will all be used to enhance student understanding of and interest in the material.  Class time will focus on concepts and their understanding rather than a repeating of the textbook.  It is expected that students will read and study the textbook for additional information.  Homework questions will help guide the student in studying the material.  Generally the class will be nonmathematical in nature, however it is expected that students will have math skills as required for admission to the university.

Instructor:  Dr. Kathryn Dimiduk
Phone:  277-4084 (or 277-2616 for physics dept. secretary)
E-mail:  dimiduk@unm.edu
Office:   Room 8, Physics and Astronomy Bldg, (NE corner of Lomas and Yale)
Fax:  The department fax number is 277-1520.  You may use this to turn in homework if you cannot make it to campus to turn in an assignment.  Be sure to keep a copy of your assignment in case the fax has a problem, and also include a cover page Attn: Dr. Dimiduk, Physics 108 Homework.

Office Hours:  (Check web page for updates)
 Monday  11:00- 12:00  Algebra Desk, 2nd floor Dane Smith Hall, North hall
 Tuesday  10:00 - 10:45 Regener  109
1:00-2:00 Physics Dept. (NE corner of Lomas and Yale) Rm 8
Wednesday   12:00 - 12:45  Regener 109
 Thursday  12:30 - 1:30  Regener 109
Friday  9-9:30 Physics Dept. (NE corner of Lomas and Yale) Rm 8
  2-2:30 (except Feb 21, Mar 14, Apr 11) Reg. 109
 
Website: http://panda.unm.edu/     Follow the links to classes, the class homepages.  Select Physics 108 Dimiduk.
Grader:

Prerequisites:  None.

Class Meetings:  Tuesday and Thursday   11:00 - 12:15.  Attendance is expected at all classes.  Tests will cover material from class that may not be in the textbook as well as material from the textbook.

Textbook:  Required:  Musical Acoustics, 3rd ed., by Donald Hall, Brooks/Cole Publishing, Pacific Grove, CA, ?2002
Optional:
The Physics of Sound, 2nd ed., by Richard E. Berg and David  G. Stork,Prentic Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, ? 1995.
The Science of Sound, 2nd ed., Thomas D. Rossing, Addison-Wesley, Reading, Massassachusetts, ?1990.
Both of the optional books are resources for more in depth information on topics covered in the course. I have deliberately chosen the required book for readability and a reasonable depth across all the topics.   You may find that you want more information on a topic(s) that is of particular interest to you. These optional books have considerably more detail and are a good place to find additional information.

Homework:  There will be approximately 11 homework assignments.  Generally they will consist of questions I have written or exercises from the book.  They will be designed  to help you focus on the important concepts and to give you practice working with the ideas, concepts and numbers in the chapters.

 Homework will be due on the assigned date by 4:30 PM.  It may be handed in during class, or taken to the grader's mailbox in the Physics and Astronomy Building, (NE corner of Lomas and Yale).  Late assignments will be accepted at the next lecture, but will be penalized 25% of the available points.  After that, assignments will not be accepted, except with special permission, which will only rarely be granted and only for very good reasons beyond the student's control.  In computing the homework grade, the lowest homework grade will be dropped and the remaining homework grades averaged.

Exam Schedule:   tentative schedule,  any changes will be announced in class
 Prelim 1 February 13 in class  Review  Feb. 11,  7 PM
 Prelim 2 March 27  in class  Review  Mar. 25,  7 PM
 Prelim 3 April   24   in class  Review  Apr. 22,  7 PM
 Final  May 13 0:00-12:00 Review  May 12,   7 PM

Grading:   Your grade will be computed as shown below.

 Homework 20%
 Prelim 1 20%
 Prelim 2 20%
 Prelim 3 20%
 Final   20%

 
Optional Assignment:  This assignment may be used to replace one of the units used in computing your grade.  You may only replace one unit.  Choose one of the options below.  In each case, discuss your plan with the instructor before you start to insure that it is appropriate in scope and depth.
 Option A:  a 3-5 page typed report on a 2-4 hands-on projects from the book that you have carried out that wasn't done in class, (or one of your own projects that the instructor has approved).  This cannot be something you did for the lab class, unless it is extended well beyond the regular lab work.  Whether you need 2, 3 or 4 projects depends on how involved each project is.  Discuss this with the instructor in advance.
 Option B:  a 10-15 minute oral presentation of A  above
Option C:  a 4-6 page typed report on a some aspect of musical acoustics of interest to you. This should be based on at least 4 sources of information (at least two sources beyond the textbook and class), and should go beyond information included in the textbook.  This can be related to your particular field of study, but must specifically contain physics or acoustics concepts.  This option does not require but may include a hands-on component.
  Option D:  a 10-15 minute oral presentation on some aspect of musical acoustics of interest to you. This should be based on at least 4 sources of information (at least two sources beyond the textbook and class), should include some kind of interesting demonstration, and should go beyond information included in the textbook.  This can be related to your particular field of study, but must specifically contain physics or acoustics concepts.   Discuss in advance with the instructor to schedule a time that is appropriate for your topic.

Letter grades:  Letter grades will be assigned based on the following scale (The instructor reserves the right to grade more leniently than this scale, if appropriate.  This scale represents the lowest grade you will earn based on your final class average.)

A+ >98  A  94.0 - 97.9  A- 90.0 - 93.9
B+ 88.0 - 89.9 B 84.0 - 87.9  B- 80.0 - 83.9
C+ 78.0 - 79.9 C 74.0 - 77.9  C- 70.0 - 73.9
D+ 68.0 - 69.9 D 64.0 - 67.9  D- 60.0 - 63.9
F less than 60.0
 

ADA Notice:  Qualified students with disabilities needing appropriate academic adjustments should contact the instructor as soon as possible to ensure their needs are met in a timely manner.  Handouts are available in alternative accessible formats upon request.