Musical Acoustics Group

Staff

Doctoral Students

Honours Students

Visiting research students

Current Research

• Coding of auditory information (RF, JW)
  The cochlear implant ("bionic ear") converts sound into electrical pulses which are injected directly into the auditory nerves. It works well for speech, but less well for music. In collaboration with Cochlear Ltd, we are conducting research on coding strategies for auditory information to be used in cochlear implants to improve the appreciation of music by users. Our collaborators at Cochlear are Dr Paul Carter and Simon Parker.

• Electrodiffusion effects and cochlear implants (YL, JS, JW)
  In collaboration with Cochlear Ltd, we are conducting research on electrodiffusion effects produced by implantable electrodes.

• Speech and the acoustics of the vocal tract (ND, JS, JW)
  Using the technique of real-time measurement of transfer functions and impedance spectra, we are studying the transient acoustic properties of the vocal tract in sound production .

• Wind instrument performance (JS, JW)
  Using the technique of real-time measurement of transfer functions and impedance spectra, we are studying the interaction between the player's vocal tract and the sound produced by wind instruments.

• Wood for stringed instruments (JD)
  Measurement of the important acoustic parameters - longitudinal and transverse sound velocities, acoustic damping constants at low frequencies - on woods of Australia.

• The acoustics of the flute (EO'C, JS, JT, JW)
  The acoustic impedance spectrum measured at the embouchure hole of the flute tells us a lot about the acoustical performance of the instrument. One of the results of this project is a web-based resource of response spectra, sound spectra for standard and alternative fingerings for notes and multiphonics.

• Optimising transfer function measurements. (VC, JS)
  Transfer function measurements have a range of applications, including many beyond musical acoustics. In this study we are working to optimise the resolution, sensitivity and speed of measurement subject to different conditions of transducer response and external noise.

• Transfer function measurements on string instruments (EB, RC, JS, JT, JW)
  In this study we are applying our system for measuring transfer functions to determine the acoustic properties of violins and other string instruments.

• A system for the measurement and assessment of musical sounds, including starting transients and the steady state. (HP)
  A tristimulus method has been developed analogous to the system used for colour measurement. Application of this method to both starting transients and steady state parts of musical sounds has led to a scheme for identifying and specifying the essential features of musical sounds.

Some pages for non-specialist readers

• How Do Woodwind Instruments Work?
• Violin acoustics. An index to a several pages about the acoustics of bowed string instruments.
• What is a decibel?
• What is a sound spectrum?
• What is acoustic impedance and why is it important?
• Pipes and Harmonics. Why do closed conical bores have the same set of resonances as open cylindrical bores? (This is one of the most FAQs in musical acoustics.)
• The Science of Music.
• An interactive introduction to the orchestra

Selected Publications

• Dowd, A., Smith, J.R. and Wolfe, J. (1998) "Learning to pronounce vowel sounds in a foreign language using acoustic measurements of the vocal tract as feedback in real time." Language and Speech, 41, 1-20.
• Harjono, R.D. and Dunlop, J. I. (1998) "Acoustical Properties of some Australian and Indonesian woods." Catgut Acoustical Soc. J. 3, 10-14.
• Smith, JR, Henrich, N and Wolfe, J (1997) "The acoustic impedance of the Boehm flute: standard and some non-standard fingerings" Proc. Inst. Acoustics 19, 315-330.
• Epps, J., Dowd, A., Smith, J.R. and Wolfe, J. (1997) "Real time measurements of the vocal tract resonances during speech" Eurospeech'97 (conference proceedings, Rhodes), 721-724.
• Epps, J., Smith, J.R. and Wolfe, J. (1997) "A novel instrument to measure acoustic resonances of the vocal tract during speech" Measurement Science and Technology 8, 1112-1121.
• Wolfe, J, Smith, J, Brielbeck, G and Stocker, F (1995) "A system for real time measurement of acoustic transfer functions" Acoustics Australia 23, 19-20.
• Wolfe, J (1992) "The Science of Music" (book & six cassette tapes) ABC Sydney
• Dunlop, J & Shaw, M (1991) "Acoustical properties of some Australian woods" Catgut Acoustical Soc. J. 44, 79-83.
• Pollard, HF (1990) "Timbre assessment" Acoustics Australia 18, 19-23
• Pollard, HF (1990) "Timbre measurement" Acoustics Australia 18, 65-69
• Pollard, HF (1988) "Feature analysis of musical sounds" Acustica 65, 232- 244.
• Pollard, HF (1988) "Feature analysis and musical timbre" J Catgut Acoustical Society 1 (Series II) 16-24.

Meet the people. A photo album of some of the workers in musical acoustics.

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