The Science of Sound (Addison-Wesley series in physics)
By Thomas D. Rossing
The Science of Sound is a lavishly illustrated, authoritative text that comprehensively covers the science of sound. Students of acoustics, speech and learning and physics will appreciate this text. Emphasis is placed on understanding the phenomena of sound, and a wide variety of topics are discussed. Physics fundamentals are presented early to allow for a branching out of topics later in the course.
From the Back Cover The Science of Sound is widely recognized as the leading textbook in the field. It provides an excellent introduction to acoustics for readers without college physics or a strong background in mathematics. In the Third Edition, Richard Moore and Paul Wheeler join Tom Rossing in updating The Science of Sound to include a wide range of important technological developments in the field of acoustics. New exercises and review questions have been added to the end of each chapter to help readers study the material. About the Author Thomas D. Rossing completed his B.A. at Luther College in 1950, his M.S. and Ph.D. at Iowa State University in 1954. His dissertation was in the field of molecular physics. After graduating, he went into industrial research, and from there, he went to teaching. Currently, he is a professor at Northern Illinois University.Professor Rossing has published more than 200 papers and ten books. He is a Fellow of the Acoustical Society of America and of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He has held about a dozen research positions other than at his home institution—in national laboratories, in research universities, and in several other countries. The Acoustical Society of America awarded him the Silver Medal in Musical Acoustics.
Lots of Problems This book should have been a classic introduction to musical acoustics. Instead, it tries to hard, is convoluted, often in error, and confuses musicians.When I taught from this book, I and the class found errors in equations, references to equations, and calculations. When undergraduates are struggling to learn, this is a very bad context.The book is so concerned with a level of comprehensiveness, that measured clarity is left out. At the same time, for the expert, it is too little. Therefore, it appeals to neither the introductory level nor the more advanced level. I gave up using this book. A good elementary textbook I have used this book as the primary textbook for an introductory course in the physics of music. It is at a somewhat higher level than some of its competitors (e.g. "The Acoustical Foundations of Music" by Backus) but still suitable for non-science majors with weak math backgrounds. It is the most thorough and informative book I have seen at this level. However, the students complained that it was somewhat dull. Also, the section on electronic reproduction of music is out of date--relatively little on CD's etc., and nothing on mp3 and related technologies. Still, I plan to use it again. Toned down math, but still pure sound I have taught a course entitled "Acoustics for Musicians and Recording Engineers" to Engineering, Music, and Film majors using Rossing's THE SCIENCE OF SOUND. He has toned down the equations enough that the students aren't groaning, yet he's remained true to the interdisciplinary nature of acoustics as a pursuit of physics, psychology, math, and engineering. The structure of the book provides a wonderful outline for the course and it has been an invaluable resource for both me and the students who have wished to continue with their study of acoustics.
