Professor David Sharp

Professor David Sharp is a Senior Lecturer in Acoustics at the Open University. His primary research interests are in the field of musical acoustics, in particular measuring and evaluating the playing characteristics of wind instruments. Recent research projects have focussed on evaluating the consistency with which musical wind instruments are manufactured, and investigating the effect that wall vibrations have on the sound produced by brass instruments.

In addition to his teaching and research work, David has acted as an academic consultant for the BBC Coast series. He has appeared on the programme four times, carrying out acoustic measurements and demonstrations at the sound mirrors of Denge, at the Mull of Galloway foghorn, at Whistling Sands on the Lleyn Peninsula, and at Fingal’s Cave on Staffa.

David regularly delivers interactive talks on the science of sound to local primary schoolchildren. He also gives talks, both on the physics of woodwind instruments and on his BBC Coast filming experiences, aimed at secondary schoolchildren and the public in general.