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About course

DT1175 Sound 7.5 credits

Administrate About course

The purpose of the course is to give all media technology engineers, regardless of future specialisation, a foundation in acoustics and in the technical mediation of speech and music. The syllabus is structured around a progression along the sound communication chain, from elementary physics of sound, via conversion and sound processing, to content, meaning and technical applications.

Choose semester and course offering

Choose semester and course offering to see information from the correct course syllabus and course offering.

Headings with content from the Course syllabus DT1175 (Spring 2021–) are denoted with an asterisk ( )

Content and learning outcomes

Course contents

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.

Intended learning outcomes

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.

Course disposition

No information inserted

Literature and preparations

Specific prerequisites

Completed course corresponding to SK1120 Waves.

Active participation in a course offering where the final examination is not yet reported in LADOK is considered equivalent to completion of the course.

Registering for a course is counted as active participation.

The term 'final examination' encompasses both the regular examination and the first re-examination.

Recommended prerequisites

No information inserted

Equipment

No information inserted

Literature

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

Examination and completion

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

Grading scale

A, B, C, D, E, FX, F

Examination

  • LAB1 - Laboratories, 2.5 credits, grading scale: P, F
  • TEN1 - 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.

Other requirements for final grade

Passed exam and completed laboratory sessions.

Opportunity to complete the requirements via supplementary examination

No information inserted

Opportunity to raise an approved grade via renewed examination

No information inserted

Examiner

Profile picture Sten Ternström

Ethical approach

  • 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.

Further information

Course web

Further information about the course can be found on the Course web at the link below. Information on the Course web will later be moved to this site.

Course web DT1175

Offered by

EECS/Human Centered Technology

Main field of study

Technology

Education cycle

First cycle

Add-on studies

No information inserted

Contact

Sten Ternström, stern@kth.se

Supplementary information

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