CHAPTER ONE

Mathematics and the Measurement of Sound

Contents

Mathematics

Sinusoids

Logarithms and Exponents

Vectors

Polar Coordinates

Complex Numbers

Calculus

Statistics

Units of Measure

Sound is inherently a transient phenomenon. Natural sounds fade quickly, and we can’t just bottle up the air as it vibrates with sound waves and expect to hear the sounds again when we open the bottle. Although this behavior keeps the world from becoming a total cacophony, it also complicates the process of recording sounds. We need a method of converting such air vibrations into a form of energy that we can preserve over time. Metrology, the science of measurement, is a most important consideration in the recording of sound. To record and manipulate audio signals, ...

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