Sound is almost always around us anywhere at any time reaching our ears and stimulating our
brains for better or worse. Sound can be the disturbing noise of a drill a merry little tune
sung by a friend the song of a bird in the morning or a clap of thunder at night. The science
of sound or acoustics studies all types of sounds and therefore covers a wide range of
scientific disciplines from pure to applied acoustics. Research dealing with acoustics
requires a sound to be recorded analyzed manipulated and possibly changed. This is
particularly but not exclusively the case in bioacoustics and ecoacoustics two life sciences
disciplines that attempt to understand and to eavesdrop on the sound produced by animals. Sound
analysis and synthesis can be challenging for students researchers and practitioners who have
few skills in mathematics or physics. However deciphering the structure of a sound can be
useful in behavioral and ecological research - and also very amusing. This book is dedicated to
anyone who wants to practice acoustics but does not know much about sound. Acoustic analysis
and synthesis are possible with little effort using the free and open-source software R with
a few specific packages. Combining a bit of theory a lot of step-by-step examples and a few
cases studies this book shows beginners and experts alike how to record read play decompose
visualize parametrize change and synthesize sound with R opening a new way of working in
bioacoustics and ecoacoustics but also in other acoustic disciplines.
