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55-641: The origin of SM57 may be traced to 1937, when Shure engineer Benjamin Bauer developed the first single-element directional microphone, the Unidyne , which had a cardioid pickup pattern. In 1959, another Shure engineer, Ernie Seeler, advanced the art of microphone design significantly with the Unidyne III capsule which was later used in the SM57. After three years of research and development , which encompassed various torture tests,

110-590: A Bachelor's degree or higher qualification. Some possess a degree in acoustics, while others enter the discipline via studies in fields such as physics or engineering . Much work in acoustics requires a good grounding in Mathematics and science . Many acoustic scientists work in research and development. Some conduct basic research to advance our knowledge of the perception (e.g. hearing , psychoacoustics or neurophysiology ) of speech , music and noise . Other acoustic scientists advance understanding of how sound

165-562: A definite mathematical structure. The wave equation emerged in a number of contexts, including the propagation of sound in air. In the nineteenth century the major figures of mathematical acoustics were Helmholtz in Germany, who consolidated the field of physiological acoustics, and Lord Rayleigh in England, who combined the previous knowledge with his own copious contributions to the field in his monumental work The Theory of Sound (1877). Also in

220-584: A five-year work/study program and began working as an intern at Shure. When he graduated in 1937, he joined the Shure company in Oak Park, IL, full-time as a transducer development engineer. It was the start of a distinguished career in acoustics and audio that included more than 100 patents. The year 2013 marked the 75th anniversary of Bauer’s invention of the Uniphase principle while working for Shure Brothers Incorporated,

275-547: A key element of mating rituals or for marking territories. Art, craft, science and technology have provoked one another to advance the whole, as in many other fields of knowledge. Robert Bruce Lindsay 's "Wheel of Acoustics" is a well accepted overview of the various fields in acoustics. The word "acoustic" is derived from the Greek word ἀκουστικός ( akoustikos ), meaning "of or for hearing, ready to hear" and that from ἀκουστός ( akoustos ), "heard, audible", which in turn derives from

330-462: A microphone manufacturer in Chicago. As a newly graduated engineer, the 25 year-old Bauer developed an acoustical method that produced a directional microphone using only one microphone element. When sound is transmitted through a medium, it must be detected by an object that can convert the inherently mechanical nature of the sound waves into an electric signal. In the human ear, this is accomplished via

385-400: A result of varying auditory stimulus which can in turn affect the way one thinks, feels, or even behaves. This correlation can be viewed in normal, everyday situations in which listening to an upbeat or uptempo song can cause one's foot to start tapping or a slower song can leave one feeling calm and serene. In a deeper biological look at the phenomenon of psychoacoustics, it was discovered that

440-405: A rock concert. The central stage in the acoustical process is wave propagation. This falls within the domain of physical acoustics. In fluids , sound propagates primarily as a pressure wave . In solids, mechanical waves can take many forms including longitudinal waves , transverse waves and surface waves . Acoustics looks first at the pressure levels and frequencies in the sound wave and how

495-456: A sound wave to or from an electric signal. The most widely used transduction principles are electromagnetism , electrostatics and piezoelectricity . The transducers in most common loudspeakers (e.g. woofers and tweeters ), are electromagnetic devices that generate waves using a suspended diaphragm driven by an electromagnetic voice coil , sending off pressure waves. Electret microphones and condenser microphones employ electrostatics—as

550-407: A string sounds the note C when plucked, a string twice as long will sound a C an octave lower. In one system of musical tuning , the tones in between are then given by 16:9 for D, 8:5 for E, 3:2 for F, 4:3 for G, 6:5 for A, and 16:15 for B, in ascending order. Aristotle (384–322 BC) understood that sound consisted of compressions and rarefactions of air which "falls upon and strikes the air which

605-663: A type of microphone called a Controlled Reluctance or Controlled Magnetic Microphone, known more colloquially as a battle-announcer, because it could be used reliably in a variety of weather including extreme conditions. In 1957, Bauer joined CBS where he helped develop the SQ matrix system stereo quadraphonic sound. He went on to become the vice president and general manager of the CBS Technology Center in Stamford, CT, where he lived until his death in 1979. Acoustics Acoustics

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660-608: A vocal mic, both live and in the studio. Notable singers known to have recorded vocals with an SM57 include Anthony Kiedis , Brandon Flowers , Madonna , David Bowie , John Lennon , Jack White , Bjork , Peter Gabriel , Paul Rodgers , Tom Waits , Wayne Coyne , Tom Petty Alice Cooper , Erykah Badu , Caleb Followill and Raphael Saadiq . An early model of the mic, the Unidyne 545 was used on Pet Sounds for Brian Wilson 's vocal tracks. Every U.S. president since Lyndon B. Johnson has delivered speeches through an SM57. It became

715-438: A wave comparable to a water wave extended to three dimensions, which, when interrupted by obstructions, would flow back and break up following waves. He described the ascending seats in ancient theaters as designed to prevent this deterioration of sound and also recommended bronze vessels (echea) of appropriate sizes be placed in theaters to resonate with the fourth, fifth and so on, up to the double octave, in order to resonate with

770-465: A way of echolocation in the caves. In archaeology, acoustic sounds and rituals directly correlate as specific sounds were meant to bring ritual participants closer to a spiritual awakening. Parallels can also be drawn between cave wall paintings and the acoustic properties of the cave; they are both dynamic. Because archaeoacoustics is a fairly new archaeological subject, acoustic sound is still being tested in these prehistoric sites today. Aeroacoustics

825-432: Is a branch of physics that deals with the study of mechanical waves in gases, liquids, and solids including topics such as vibration , sound , ultrasound and infrasound . A scientist who works in the field of acoustics is an acoustician while someone working in the field of acoustics technology may be called an acoustical engineer . The application of acoustics is present in almost all aspects of modern society with

880-503: Is affected as it moves through environments, e.g. underwater acoustics , architectural acoustics or structural acoustics . Other areas of work are listed under subdisciplines below. Acoustic scientists work in government, university and private industry laboratories. Many go on to work in Acoustical Engineering . Some positions, such as Faculty (academic staff) require a Doctor of Philosophy . Archaeoacoustics , also known as

935-416: Is concerned with noise and vibration caused by railways, road traffic, aircraft, industrial equipment and recreational activities. The main aim of these studies is to reduce levels of environmental noise and vibration. Research work now also has a focus on the positive use of sound in urban environments: soundscapes and tranquility . Musical acoustics is the study of the physics of acoustic instruments;

990-408: Is defined by ANSI/ASA S1.1-2013 as "(a) Science of sound , including its production, transmission, and effects, including biological and psychological effects. (b) Those qualities of a room that, together, determine its character with respect to auditory effects." The study of acoustics revolves around the generation, propagation and reception of mechanical waves and vibrations. The steps shown in

1045-430: Is how our ears interpret sound. What we experience as "higher pitched" or "lower pitched" sounds are pressure vibrations having a higher or lower number of cycles per second. In a common technique of acoustic measurement, acoustic signals are sampled in time, and then presented in more meaningful forms such as octave bands or time frequency plots. Both of these popular methods are used to analyze sound and better understand

1100-515: Is manufactured in the United States, Mexico, and China. The Shure A2WS is an accessory windscreen for the SM57 that attenuates wind noise and plosives , and protects the microphone capsule. The SM57 is a popular choice of musicians due to its sturdy construction and ability to work well with instruments that produce high sound pressure levels , such as percussion instruments and electric guitars . The School of Audio Engineering (SAE) recommends

1155-624: Is next to it...", a very good expression of the nature of wave motion. On Things Heard , generally ascribed to Strato of Lampsacus , states that the pitch is related to the frequency of vibrations of the air and to the speed of sound. In about 20 BC, the Roman architect and engineer Vitruvius wrote a treatise on the acoustic properties of theaters including discussion of interference, echoes, and reverberation—the beginnings of architectural acoustics . In Book V of his De architectura ( The Ten Books of Architecture ) Vitruvius describes sound as

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1210-416: Is the electronic manipulation of acoustic signals. Applications include: active noise control ; design for hearing aids or cochlear implants ; echo cancellation ; music information retrieval , and perceptual coding (e.g. MP3 or Opus ). Architectural acoustics (also known as building acoustics) involves the scientific understanding of how to achieve good sound within a building. It typically involves

1265-431: Is the scientific study of the hearing and calls of animal calls, as well as how animals are affected by the acoustic and sounds of their habitat. This subdiscipline is concerned with the recording, manipulation and reproduction of audio using electronics. This might include products such as mobile phones , large scale public address systems or virtual reality systems in research laboratories. Environmental acoustics

1320-413: Is the study of noise generated by air movement, for instance via turbulence, and the movement of sound through the fluid air. This knowledge was applied in the 1920s and '30s to detect aircraft before radar was invented and is applied in acoustical engineering to study how to quieten aircraft . Aeroacoustics is important for understanding how wind musical instruments work. Acoustic signal processing

1375-460: Is usually small, it is still noticeable to the human ear. The smallest sound that a person can hear, known as the threshold of hearing , is nine orders of magnitude smaller than the ambient pressure. The loudness of these disturbances is related to the sound pressure level (SPL) which is measured on a logarithmic scale in decibels. Physicists and acoustic engineers tend to discuss sound pressure levels in terms of frequencies, partly because this

1430-688: The audio signal processing used in electronic music; the computer analysis of music and composition, and the perception and cognitive neuroscience of music . The goal this acoustics sub-discipline is to reduce the impact of unwanted sound. Scope of noise studies includes the generation, propagation, and impact on structures, objects, and people. Noise research investigates the impact of noise on humans and animals to include work in definitions, abatement, transportation noise, hearing protection, Jet and rocket noise, building system noise and vibration, atmospheric sound propagation, soundscapes , and low-frequency sound. Many studies have been conducted to identify

1485-444: The harmonic overtone series on a string. He is reputed to have observed that when the lengths of vibrating strings are expressible as ratios of integers (e.g. 2 to 3, 3 to 4), the tones produced will be harmonious, and the smaller the integers the more harmonious the sounds. For example, a string of a certain length would sound particularly harmonious with a string of twice the length (other factors being equal). In modern parlance, if

1540-555: The speed of sound in air were carried out successfully between 1630 and 1680 by a number of investigators, prominently Mersenne. Meanwhile, Newton (1642–1727) derived the relationship for wave velocity in solids, a cornerstone of physical acoustics ( Principia , 1687). Substantial progress in acoustics, resting on firmer mathematical and physical concepts, was made during the eighteenth century by Euler (1707–1783), Lagrange (1736–1813), and d'Alembert (1717–1783). During this era, continuum physics, or field theory, began to receive

1595-415: The 19th century, Wheatstone, Ohm, and Henry developed the analogy between electricity and acoustics. The twentieth century saw a burgeoning of technological applications of the large body of scientific knowledge that was by then in place. The first such application was Sabine 's groundbreaking work in architectural acoustics, and many others followed. Underwater acoustics was used for detecting submarines in

1650-426: The SM57 (along with other makes and models) for four roles in a drum kit : kick drum , snare drum , rack toms , and floor tom . The cardioid pickup pattern of the microphone reduces the pickup of unwanted background sound and the generation of acoustic feedback . SM57s have also been a staple when reinforcing the sound from guitar amplifiers. In a more unconventional fashion, the SM57 has been favored by some as

1705-498: The SM58, the SM57 is fitted with an XLR connector and is impedance balanced , which helps to minimize electrical hum and noise pickup when connected to a balanced input. Compared to the SM58, the SM57's grille allows for closer placement to the source of sound, while the SM58 provides a pop filter to reduce plosives ("pop" sounds) and wind. According to Shure, the SM57 frequency response extends from 40  Hertz (Hz) to 15 kHz. It

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1760-702: The Unidyne Microphone's name and functionality. Bauer was born in Odessa , Russian Empire (now Ukraine), in 1913. His family fled Russian Empire after the 1917 revolution and relocated to Havana, Cuba. At the age of 17, and speaking little English, Bauer moved to New York City to attend the Pratt Institute. After obtaining an Associate Industrial Engineering degree, Bauer matriculated at the University of Cincinnati, pursuing an Electrical Engineering degree. Bauer chose

1815-600: The Uniphase, as sound arrives from the front of the microphone, the inner pressure reinforces the outer pressure, thus allowing noise picked up by the microphone system to be greatly reduced. This Uniphase principle paved the way for the design of the Shure Unidyne Microphone. Introduced in 1939, the Shure Unidyne is arguably the most recognized microphone in the world. The Unidyne's instant and lasting success has been attributed by its manufacturer as stemming from

1870-461: The above diagram can be found in any acoustical event or process. There are many kinds of cause, both natural and volitional. There are many kinds of transduction process that convert energy from some other form into sonic energy, producing a sound wave. There is one fundamental equation that describes sound wave propagation, the acoustic wave equation , but the phenomena that emerge from it are varied and often complex. The wave carries energy throughout

1925-594: The acoustic phenomenon. The entire spectrum can be divided into three sections: audio, ultrasonic, and infrasonic. The audio range falls between 20 Hz and 20,000 Hz. This range is important because its frequencies can be detected by the human ear. This range has a number of applications, including speech communication and music. The ultrasonic range refers to the very high frequencies: 20,000 Hz and higher. This range has shorter wavelengths which allow better resolution in imaging technologies. Medical applications such as ultrasonography and elastography rely on

1980-429: The archaeology of sound, is one of the only ways to experience the past with senses other than our eyes. Archaeoacoustics is studied by testing the acoustic properties of prehistoric sites, including caves. Iegor Rezkinoff, a sound archaeologist, studies the acoustic properties of caves through natural sounds like humming and whistling. Archaeological theories of acoustics are focused around ritualistic purposes as well as

2035-493: The central nervous system is activated by basic acoustical characteristics of music. By observing how the central nervous system, which includes the brain and spine, is influenced by acoustics, the pathway in which acoustic affects the mind, and essentially the body, is evident. Acousticians study the production, processing and perception of speech. Speech recognition and Speech synthesis are two important areas of speech processing using computers. The subject also overlaps with

2090-438: The complete laws of vibrating strings (completing what Pythagoras and Pythagoreans had started 2000 years earlier). Galileo wrote "Waves are produced by the vibrations of a sonorous body, which spread through the air, bringing to the tympanum of the ear a stimulus which the mind interprets as sound", a remarkable statement that points to the beginnings of physiological and psychological acoustics. Experimental measurements of

2145-536: The disciplines of physics, physiology , psychology , and linguistics . Structural acoustics is the study of motions and interactions of mechanical systems with their environments and the methods of their measurement, analysis, and control. There are several sub-disciplines found within this regime: Applications might include: ground vibrations from railways; vibration isolation to reduce vibration in operating theatres; studying how vibration can damage health ( vibration white finger ); vibration control to protect

2200-558: The fact that, "It was the first high-quality unidirectional microphone that was affordable and reduced audio issues such as background noise, feedback and excessive reverberation." On Jan 31, 2014, the Unidyne microphone was granted the IEEE award . In 1941, Bauer became a naturalized US citizen. During the Second World War, he worked on acoustic equipment for the US Navy, helping to develop

2255-456: The first World War. Sound recording and the telephone played important roles in a global transformation of society. Sound measurement and analysis reached new levels of accuracy and sophistication through the use of electronics and computing. The ultrasonic frequency range enabled wholly new kinds of application in medicine and industry. New kinds of transducers (generators and receivers of acoustic energy) were invented and put to use. Acoustics

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2310-532: The lectern microphone of the White House Communications Agency in 1965, the year of its introduction, and remains so. Due to its popularity, the SM57 has been counterfeited frequently by manufacturers in China and Thailand . Shure Distribution UK reports that the SM57, SM58, Beta 57A, and Beta 58A are their microphones that are most commonly counterfeited. In 2006, Shure mounted a campaign against

2365-586: The more desirable, harmonious notes. During the Islamic golden age , Abū Rayhān al-Bīrūnī (973–1048) is believed to have postulated that the speed of sound was much slower than the speed of light. The physical understanding of acoustical processes advanced rapidly during and after the Scientific Revolution . Mainly Galileo Galilei (1564–1642) but also Marin Mersenne (1588–1648), independently, discovered

2420-467: The most obvious being the audio and noise control industries. Hearing is one of the most crucial means of survival in the animal world and speech is one of the most distinctive characteristics of human development and culture. Accordingly, the science of acoustics spreads across many facets of human society—music, medicine, architecture, industrial production, warfare and more. Likewise, animal species such as songbirds and frogs use sound and hearing as

2475-504: The organs of the middle ear in conjunction with the hair cells and endolymph of your inner ear . In the Uniphase, sound acts upon the outside of the acoustic diaphragm while it simultaneously enters a phase-shifting acoustic network within the microphone. There, it acts upon the inside of the diaphragm. The diaphragm actuates a transducer converting its motions into equivalent electrical waves: an electric signal that can now be transmitted through an electronic medium like wires. Importantly, in

2530-406: The propagating medium. Eventually this energy is transduced again into other forms, in ways that again may be natural and/or volitionally contrived. The final effect may be purely physical or it may reach far into the biological or volitional domains. The five basic steps are found equally well whether we are talking about an earthquake , a submarine using sonar to locate its foe, or a band playing in

2585-435: The relationship between acoustics and cognition , or more commonly known as psychoacoustics , in which what one hears is a combination of perception and biological aspects. The information intercepted by the passage of sound waves through the ear is understood and interpreted through the brain, emphasizing the connection between the mind and acoustics. Psychological changes have been seen as brain waves slow down or speed up as

2640-519: The result was the creation of the SM series of rugged and reliable Shure microphones. The "SM" stands for Studio Microphone; Seeler was an aficionado of classical music and expected the SM57 to be used for orchestras. Because he "despised" rock music , the TEC Foundation said that it was ironic that the microphone has become "a mainstay of rock music." The SM57 uses the same capsule as the popular SM58 . Like

2695-444: The sound wave strikes the microphone's diaphragm, it moves and induces a voltage change. The ultrasonic systems used in medical ultrasonography employ piezoelectric transducers. These are made from special ceramics in which mechanical vibrations and electrical fields are interlinked through a property of the material itself. An acoustician is an expert in the science of sound. There are many types of acoustician, but they usually have

2750-468: The study of speech intelligibility, speech privacy, music quality, and vibration reduction in the built environment. Commonly studied environments are hospitals, classrooms, dwellings, performance venues, recording and broadcasting studios. Focus considerations include room acoustics, airborne and impact transmission in building structures, airborne and structure-borne noise control, noise control of building systems and electroacoustic systems. Bioacoustics

2805-456: The time varying pressure level and frequency profiles which give a specific acoustic signal its defining character. A transducer is a device for converting one form of energy into another. In an electroacoustic context, this means converting sound energy into electrical energy (or vice versa). Electroacoustic transducers include loudspeakers , microphones , particle velocity sensors, hydrophones and sonar projectors. These devices convert

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2860-540: The trading of counterfeit microphones. Benjamin Bauer Benjamin B. Bauer (originally Baumzweiger ) (1913–1979) was a Russian Empire-born American acoustic engineer, who worked for the Shure microphone company and produced over 100 patents. His early work in acoustics lead to the development of modern sound technology via the Uniphase Electrical Principle . This principle is the source of

2915-420: The ultrasonic frequency range. On the other end of the spectrum, the lowest frequencies are known as the infrasonic range. These frequencies can be used to study geological phenomena such as earthquakes. Analytic instruments such as the spectrum analyzer facilitate visualization and measurement of acoustic signals and their properties. The spectrogram produced by such an instrument is a graphical display of

2970-500: The verb ἀκούω( akouo ), "I hear". The Latin synonym is "sonic", after which the term sonics used to be a synonym for acoustics and later a branch of acoustics. Frequencies above and below the audible range are called " ultrasonic " and " infrasonic ", respectively. In the 6th century BC, the ancient Greek philosopher Pythagoras wanted to know why some combinations of musical sounds seemed more beautiful than others, and he found answers in terms of numerical ratios representing

3025-416: The wave interacts with the environment. This interaction can be described as either a diffraction , interference or a reflection or a mix of the three. If several media are present, a refraction can also occur. Transduction processes are also of special importance to acoustics. In fluids such as air and water, sound waves propagate as disturbances in the ambient pressure level. While this disturbance

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