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From: beaucham@uiucuxc.CSO.UIUC.EDU
Newsgroups: net.music.synth
Subject: Re: Instrument Harmonics wanted
Message-ID: <101000013@uiucuxc>
Date: Mon, 27-Jan-86 23:59:00 EST
Article-I.D.: uiucuxc.101000013
Posted: Mon Jan 27 23:59:00 1986
Date-Received: Thu, 30-Jan-86 00:40:10 EST
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Nf-From: uiucuxc.CSO.UIUC.EDU!beaucham    Jan 27 22:59:00 1986



>music synthesis is not dependent on just knowing a fixed set of harmonic
>spectra for specific instruments.  Envelope is probably at least as important
>as harmonic content (if not more so) in recognition of specific sounds.
>The harmonic spectrum (AND the envelope) often change drastically over the
>range of an instrument. 

For sure, envelope and the ability to change spectra as functions of time and
pitch are very important.  In a performance situation it is a must for these
parameters to be responsive to the player's input.  However, the data one
wants for instrument replication depends on type(s) and scope of synthesis he
intends to use.  There happen to be a lot of machines "out there" which will
allow the user to give harmonic amplitudes for a fixed waveform and to
specify a simple envelope.  The sound that comes out of these machines will
probably be no better than that of an organ imitation of an acoustical 
instrument.  This is what I mean about the incredible amount of information
that is needed.  The "Lexicon" type information from the Computer Music
Journal assumes additive synthesis, where each harmonic gets a completely
separate envelope.  If properly synthesized, this information should lead to
some very realistic sounding tones--in isolation.  It still doesn't say what
to do over a wide pitch range and at different dynamics or articulations,
but it does give a starting point.

Jim Beauchamp     inhp4!uiucdcs!uiucuxc!beaucham