SMS scnews item created by Sean Gardiner at Tue 19 Apr 2016 1245
Type: Seminar
Distribution: World
Expiry: 22 Apr 2016
Calendar1: 21 Apr 2016 1300-1400
CalLoc1: New Law 024
Auth: seangard@cpe-58-173-78-158.cqzc1.ken.bigpond.net.au (sgar9702) in SMS-WASM

SUMS: Worthington -- The Sound of Science: Describing Sounds Using Mathematics

This week’s SUMS talk is by Joachim Worthington. Pizza and drinks will be available 
afterwards. 

Abstract: 

In this talk, we’ll learn how to use maths to describe the basics of sound. Why are sine 
waves like prime numbers for sound? How can Chebyshev Polynomials make instruments 
"sweeter"? What’s wrong with a 12-tone scale? And why do Bessel Functions sound like a 
bell? This talk will attempt to answer these questions, while introducing some of the 
basic principles of synthesis. Some surprising links between simple sounds and complex 
mathematics will be demonstrated.