Why do some pitches sound better together than others? How did we decide the frequency that would correspond to each note on a piano keyboard? Why is Western music based on 12 pitches? All of these musical questions have mathematical answers. In this course, we will explore the interplay between math and music. Musical topics will include rhythm notation, polyrhythms, pitch, tuning, 12-tone music, and music generation. Mathematical topics will include geometric series, least common multiples and greatest common divisors, logarithms, sine functions, ratios, modular arithmetic, group theory, and Markov chains. This course counts towards the Connections core requirement.
Connections 200-400 Level
Prerequisites
Three years of high school mathematics. Familiarity with reading music recommended.
Course UID
006748.1
Course Subject
Catalog Number
251
Long title
Math and Music