DT1175 Sound 7.5 credits

Lectures and tutorials: the communication chain, elementary acoustics, the ear and hearing, room acoustics, microphones and loudspeakers, analogue and digital representations of sound, stereo and spatial audio, digital audio technology, music as an information carrier, the human voice, speech technology.

Laboratories: measurements of one's own hearing, representation and distortion of signals, musical representation and musical expression.

Field trip: patching exercise with a mixing desk, visit to a recording studio.

On completion of this course, you should be able to  

• describe the different levels of representation in acoustic communication, and categorise given phenomena and problems to the correct level,
• make a qualified judgment as to whether communication by sound will work in different given circumstances, including distance, number of people, equipment, venue, programme material, ambient noise, user interfaces and storage media.

In order to reach these overall goals, you must be able to

• apply wave theory and concepts of elementary acoustics to describe how sound with different wavelengths from different sources will propagate in given environments,

• apply basic knowledge of the capabilities and limitations of human hearing in judging sounds for audibility, localisation and health hazards,

• make simple calculations of delays, RMS values, acoustic pressures, powers, intensities, levels in dB, and room acoustic metrics; and select formulas that are appropriate for solving a given problem,

• explain qualitatively what a spectrum of a sound represents, and how it may be modified by filters,

• account for acoustical and electrical particularities of common types of microphones and loudspeakers,

• describe at a functional level (such as block diagrams) how sound signals are represented and processed in analog and digital forms,

• recognise common types of distorsion and unwanted sounds by ear,

• account in general terms for how various features in speech and music signals are carriers of information,

• describe current speech technology with regard to main principles, application areas, potential and limitations.

Knowledge of waves, 6 credits, equivalent to completed course SK1120.

Active participation in a course round whose final examination has not yet been reported to Ladok is equated with a completed course.
Those who are registered are considered active participants.
Final examination refers to both the regular examination and the first re-examination occasion.

Compendium: Sten Ternström: Ljud som informationsbärare. The compendium is updated annually and can be bought at the THS bookshop.

If the course is discontinued, students may request to be examined during the following two academic years.

• LAB1 - Laboratories, 2.5 credits, grading scale: P, F
• TEN1 - Written exam, 5.0 credits, grading scale: A, B, C, D, E, FX, F

Based on recommendation from KTH’s coordinator for disabilities, the examiner will decide how to adapt an examination for students with documented disability.

The examiner may apply another examination format when re-examining individual students.

Passed exam and completed laboratory sessions.

Kjetil Falkenberg

• All members of a group are responsible for the group's work.
• In any assessment, every student shall honestly disclose any help received and sources used.
• In an oral assessment, every student shall be able to present and answer questions about the entire assignment and solution.

This course replaces the earlier course DT1174 Sound as an Information Medium.

Contact: Sten Ternström, stern@kth.se, phone 7907855.

You can only count either this course or DM1574 Media Technology in your exam.

In this course, the EECS code of honor applies, see:
http://www.kth.se/en/eecs/utbildning/hederskodex