| Speaker: Associate Professor Neil McLachlan. Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne | |
| Venue | John Connell Auditorium, Engineering House 21 Bedford Street, North Melbourne, VIC |
| Date | Tuesday 21st February, 6:00pm - 8:30pm |
| Members Cost | FREE |
| Non Members Cost | FREE |
| Event Contact | Neil Pringle |
| Contact Email | neil.pringle@three.com.au |
| Hosted By | Mechanical Branch, Systems Engineering Society, the Institution of Mechanical Engineers |
Music Instrument Design
The objective design criteria for musical instruments depend on the properties of the human auditory system and the musical conventions for which the instrument is being designed. New experimental findings suggest that these factors are co-dependent. In other words, fundamental aspects of hearing change with training in particular musical genres.
Presentation Overview
A brief overview of the functional plasticity of the auditory system, and its implications for acoustic design in general will be presented. The complexity of the design problem is increased when designing for flexural vibrating systems that do not naturally produce harmonic overtones, particularly when the design solutions are constrained by the cost of manufacture.
Examples of modern FEA based approaches to solve these problems will be presented along with a number of specific prototype instruments that were produced using these techniques.
Attendance is worth up to 1.5 CPD hours.
Speaker Bio
Neil’s professional career has focused on integrating knowledge and practices in the acoustic arts and sciences via professional practice in music and acoustic design, and through scientific enquiry. After many years of experience in designing, manufacturing and performing with tuned percussion ensembles he pioneered the development of musical instrument design at the intersection of advanced acoustic knowledge, intelligent computer systems and 21st century musicology and auditory neuroscience.
Neil have earned a strong reputation for innovative research through: (i) design of the World’s first harmonic bell in 2001, (ii) design of international award winning music reproduction systems (www.continuumaudiolabs.com) in 2006, (iii) international collaborations in defence technologies (iv) applications of signal classification to acoustic analysis with the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission and DSTO in 2005-8, and more recently, (v) paradigm shifting models of auditory processing and music perception published.
