Musical Acoustics

Creating an affordable and sustainable marimba #ASA190

MIT engineers’ virtual violin produces realistic sounds

The new computational violin simulates the physics of string interaction with air, producing realistic sound. Luthiers can tweak parameters like wood type or body thickness before hearing the instrument's response.

Deepfake songs are exploding. This tool shuts them down.

Researchers developed a digital safeguard, My Music My Choice, to protect songs from generative AI cloning. The tool adds imperceptible changes to a song's waveform, making it difficult for AI models to replicate.

How the color of a theater affects sound perception

Researchers found that the visual design of a concert hall significantly affects perceived timbre, with more saturated colors producing colder sounds. Listeners also reported higher liking scores in darker environments, highlighting the importance of considering visual appearance in acoustic design.

To bop or to sway? The music will tell you

A study by Shimpei Ikegami found that vertical 'bop' music is characterized by clearer beats and percussive sounds, while horizontal 'sway' music is smoother with less percussion. Listeners' directional dancing inclinations matched the musicians' intended expressions.

What makes an opera singer stand out? New research decodes 'black box' of opera evaluation

A new study found that vibrato is the most significant vocal attribute in determining an opera singer's score, while acoustic features like SPR and HNR have a greater impact than previously thought. The research provides objective insights into how judges evaluate performances and offers tools for vocal training.

Twinkle, twinkle leopard seal: songs below the ice flow like nursery rhymes

Researchers at UNSW Sydney discovered that leopard seal songs share structural similarities with human nursery rhymes, featuring predictable patterns and low entropy. The study found that male seals spend up to 13 hours a day singing in two-minute cycles, with each individual creating a unique sonic signature.

TuneTwins: Test your musical memory!

TuneTwins is a music memory game that invites players to match pairs of musical fragments and discover their musical memory strength. The game includes a wide range of musical styles and has been tested with children and adults across different cultures.

Would a musical triangle of any other shape sound as sweet?

A team of researchers has found that sound waves can create standing waves in semi-open spaces, potentially enabling resonance in shapes with open sides. This discovery challenges the long-held assumption that resonance requires closed sides.

All wound up: A clearer look at electric guitar pickups #ASA186

Researchers found that electric guitar pickups generate an electric current through vibration of a magnetized string, affected by coil winding and variables like wire thickness and magnet type. This understanding enables guitarists to make informed pickup selections and adjustments.

Experts hail 3D audio plug-in VIRTUOSO developed by a Huddersfield academic 'a game-changer'

VIRTUOSO, developed by Dr. Hyunkook Lee from the University of Huddersfield's Applied Psychoacoustics Lab, enables immersive 3D audio without loudspeakers through binaural technology powered by ASPEN. This technology simulates the ambience and reflections found in a room with headphones, allowing for accurate translation to real speakers.

3D-printed violins bring music into more hands #ASA183

A team of researchers created 3D-printed violins using modern materials and techniques, producing a darker, more mellow sound. The project aims to make music education accessible through the printing of affordable instruments.

Cultivating a music studio to sound like an indoor forest #ASA183

Blackbird Studio C's ambient-anechoic portmanteau, ambichoic, reduces sound reflections, creating a balanced and immersive space for musicians and engineers. The studio's unique design utilizes primitive root diffusers to diffuse sound energy, resulting in a comfortable and engaging environment.

Thomas Rossing awarded Gold Medal of the Acoustical Society of America

Acoustics expert and Springer editor Thomas Rossing received the prestigious Gold Medal from the Acoustical Society of America. His research focuses on musical acoustics, psychoacoustics, and physics education, with over 350 publications in these fields.