Topics will include diverse subjects such as "Are there musical Universals?", "Would an alien understand the music we sent with Voyager 1?", "Why is a minor key almost always associated with sadness?", "Have you heard of Industrial Music?", "Why is High , well... High?", "Why do we enjoy some types of music and not enjoy others?", "Why has music changed so much over the centuries, - I mean a pleasant sound is a pleasant sound - right?" These are just some of the questions we will discuss. The object of the class is to challenge your bias and your preconceived notions about music and acquire information about human hearing and sound information processing. You will leave this class with LOTS of information that will enrich your auditory life. You will even get to hear examples of auditory paradox and do a sound-psych experiment and help resolve some of the mysteries yourself!
There will be guest lecturers and other presentations that will bring to life the musical phenomenon under discussion. Don't miss this. It will change the way you hear!
Prerequisite: An introductory level course in music or psychology or the consent of the instructor(s).
Credit?
Arts and Science--check with your registrar
Engineering--elective
Peabody--elective