Models of Music Perception

A.Y. 2023/2024
6
Max ECTS
48
Overall hours
SSD
M-PSI/01
Language
Italian
Learning objectives
The course aims at introducing the fundamentals of psychoacoustics and the perception of sound and music, with specific reference to such psychophysical attributes as pitch, loudness, directionality, masking effects.
Expected learning outcomes
At the end of the course, the student will understand the main aspects of the anatomy and physiology of the human auditory system, as well as auditory and musical perception. Moreover the student will master theoretical and computational models of auditory perception.
Single course

This course can be attended as a single course.

Course syllabus and organization

Single session

Responsible
Lesson period
Second semester
Course syllabus
MUSICAL ACOUSTICS: fundamentals of physics and musical acoustics, outline of electroacoustics - examples and simulations
MUSICAL LANGUAGE: languages, spoken language, biological basis of music, consonance and dissonance, intervals and scales, intensity, rhythm, harmony, complex structures, patterns - acoustic examples
ANATOMY, PHYSIOLOGY and NEUROPHYSIOLOGY: external, middle and internal ear, OM impedance, neural system, evoked auditory potentials, functioning models, neurophysiological bases of auditory and musical perception - examples simulations
PSYCHOACOUSTICS: general concepts of psychophysics, height perception, intensity perception, perception of complex sounds, melody and harmony, binaural effects, noise - examples, demonstrations, exercises and sound tests, localization and spatialisation, masking - acoustic examples
ACOUSTIC PERCEPTION: Analysis of the auditory scene, overtones, musical instruments, stairs, orchestra, complex structures - acoustic examples
MUSICAL PERCEPTION: intervals, consonance and dissonance, scales, melody, harmony, tonality, rhythm, singing, orchestration, complex structures, linguistically significant elements - examples and exercises - Models of perception and musical structures, metric structures, groupings.
COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCES AND MUSIC: distributed model, areas involved, plasticity, role of music education, performance
REDUCTION OF INFORMATION: significant redundancies and parameters, main compression techniques and algorithms -
Prerequisites for admission
Being a first year course, there are no specific prerequisites other than those required for access to the degree course.
Teaching methods
Frontal lessons with the use of multimedia supports and interactive simulations.
Teaching Resources
Course lecture notes: will be made available online at the end of each cycle of topics
ROEDERER, JG, Introduction to the Physics and Psychophysics of Music 2nd Edn., Heidelberg Science Library (2008)
A. FROVA, Fisica nella musica, Bologna, Zanichelli, 1999.
D. HOWARD - J. ANGUS : Acoustics and Psychoacoustics - Focal Press, Media Technology
Brian C.J. Moore : An introduction to the Psychology of Hearing - ELSEVIER - Accademic Press
Daniel J Levitin : Fatti di musica - CODICE - 2008
Assessment methods and Criteria
Oral exam with question. Each candidate can start with a topic of their choice chosen from the course content. During the question, the candidate must demonstrate knowledge of the contents concerning the anatomy, physiology and neurophysiology of the auditory apparatus, psychoacoustics, musical scales and the neurocognitive aspects of musical perception. The evaluation parameters will concern the completeness of the knowledge, the quality of the exposure, the competence in the use of the specialized lexicon, the ability to cross-connect the various areas of the course.
M-PSI/01 - GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY - University credits: 6
Lessons: 48 hours
Professor: Mancuso Antonio
Professor(s)