erik.bowen

Well, i'm hoping that some people who know more than i do about this will 

My main interest is in sound design. i want to synthesize sounds that human 

ears haven't heard before, and which are pleasing and interesting to the 

One possible method to achieve this goal would be to simply start 

experimenting with the various methods of audio synthesis, trying different 

things, observing the results and learning from these observations, and then 

Another possible method, which i think is a better way to begin, is to study 

and try to understand already existing sounds, using analysis tools like 

SPEAR. In this way, a framework of knowledge about already existing sounds 

can be built up, which will help me make more informed decisions about what 

to experiment with and how, as described in the previous paragraph, and thus 

i'm familiar with the various methods of sound synthesis, and with the 

various common waveforms in synthesis and their sinusoidal makeup (triangle 

is odd harmonics of the fundamental with a certain decrease in amplitude 

with increasing frequency, etc etc). i know what goes into and comes out of 

a fourier transform, although i haven't taken the time to learn the math 

behind it (and i probably won't unless i find myself needing this knowledge 

for some some specific reason.) Since additive synthesis is the most 

versatile and powerful method of audio synthesis in that it can synthesize 

any waveform, this is the model that i want to ground my study and 

understanding in. I recognize the other synthesis methods, the common 

waveforms, and the various signal processing tools (audo compressors, 

reverb, etc.) as useful shortcuts and shorthand notations to use when 

thinking and working in terms of the sum of sine waves.

i know that additive synthesis models tend to be large (many sine waves). 

however, even in sounds that are composed of large numbers of sine waves, 

the behavior of these sine waves may often be governed by simple and easily 

understandable sets of rules. Does anyone know if there is any literature 

out there about this, to save me trying to reinvent the wheel if someone has 

Also, does anyone know what computer programs or hardware systems etc. are 

out there that are geared toward performing additive synthesis? At the 

most basic level, such a program would consist of a large number of sine 

oscillators, with time-varying control over the frequency and amplitude of 

each oscillator. There are probably many other useful features that could 

be included, which would make implementing the simple rules mentioned in the 

previous paragraph easier. It would also be good for such a program to 

incorporate fourier analysis and resynthesis, so that it could serve as an 

all in one analyzer and synthesizer, which would make incorporating data 

from an analysis, modifying it, and incorporating part or all of it into a 

new sound a streamlined, fast and easy process. Such a tool would be great 

for studying sounds, experimenting and learning. It could even incorporate 

curve fitting (to smooth out data and to help make sense of the data) and 

pattern matching (find component basic waveforms (triangle, square etc), and 

identify instances of known simplifying rules).

As far as I know, SPEAR is the closest thing to this out there, although 

it's still pretty far from it. Does anyone know if there is something like 

what i described out there? I've been trying to build a patcher in Max to 

take analysis data (SDIF) from SPEAR and allow the user to view and 

manipulate it in two key ways that aren't allowed in SPEAR:

1) allow users to view the amplitude vs. time for each sine wave in a 2D 

2) allow users to quickly and easily (with one or two mouse clicks) hold one 

or both of the time varying properties of any partial constant (frequency or 

amplitude). this will allow the user to hear how each time varying property 

contributes to the overall sound, which is really the very heart of learning 

But it's easier said than done to build something like this. I'm still 

working on it, but it would be great to find a tool which can already do 

There must be people who work professionally with additive synthesis... does 

anyone know what software/hardware and techniques they use?

So, any thoughts or ideas? My mind's completely open, and I'm of course 

open to constructive criticism... if there's something that i'm missing i'd 

Thanks, any help or info would be greatly appreciated

Well, i'm hoping that some people who know more than i do about this will 
read this, and tell me what they think.

My main interest is in sound design.  i want to synthesize sounds that human 
ears haven't heard before, and which are pleasing and interesting to the 
ear.

One possible method to achieve this goal would be to simply start 
experimenting with the various methods of audio synthesis, trying different 
things, observing the results and learning from these observations, and then 
repeating the process ad infinitum.

Another possible method, which i think is a better way to begin, is to study 
and try to understand already existing sounds, using analysis tools like 
SPEAR.  In this way, a framework of knowledge about already existing sounds 
can be built up, which will help me make more informed decisions about what 
to experiment with and how, as described in the previous paragraph, and thus 
produce better results sooner.

i'm familiar with the various methods of sound synthesis, and with the 
various common waveforms in synthesis and their sinusoidal makeup (triangle 
is odd harmonics of the fundamental with a certain decrease in amplitude 
with increasing frequency, etc etc).  i know what goes into and comes out of 
a fourier transform, although i haven't taken the time to learn the math 
behind it (and i probably won't unless i find myself needing this knowledge 
for some some specific reason.)  Since additive synthesis is the most 
versatile and powerful method of audio synthesis in that it can synthesize 
any waveform, this is the model that i want to ground my study and 
understanding in.  I recognize the other synthesis methods, the common 
waveforms, and the various signal processing tools (audo compressors, 
reverb, etc.) as useful shortcuts and shorthand notations to use when 
thinking and working in terms of the sum of sine waves.

i know that additive synthesis models tend to be large (many sine waves). 
however, even in sounds that are composed of large numbers of sine waves, 
the behavior of these sine waves may often be governed by simple and easily 
understandable sets of rules.  Does anyone know if there is any literature 
out there about this, to save me trying to reinvent the wheel if someone has 
already done it?

Also, does anyone know what computer programs or hardware systems etc. are 
out there that are geared toward performing additive synthesis?    At the 
most basic level, such a program would consist of a large number of sine 
oscillators, with time-varying control over the frequency and amplitude of 
each oscillator.  There are probably many other useful features that could 
be included, which would make implementing the simple rules mentioned in the 
previous paragraph easier.  It would also be good for such a program to 
incorporate fourier analysis and resynthesis, so that it could serve as an 
all in one analyzer and synthesizer, which would make incorporating data 
from an analysis, modifying it, and incorporating part or all of it into a 
new sound a streamlined, fast and easy process.  Such a tool would be great 
for studying sounds, experimenting and learning.  It could even incorporate 
curve fitting (to smooth out data and to help make sense of the data) and 
pattern matching (find component basic waveforms (triangle, square etc), and 
identify instances of known simplifying rules).

As far as I know, SPEAR is the closest thing to this out there, although 
it's still pretty far from it.  Does anyone know if there is something like 
what i described out there?  I've been trying to build a patcher in Max to 
take analysis data (SDIF) from SPEAR and allow the user to view and 
manipulate it in two key ways that aren't allowed in SPEAR:

1) allow users to view the amplitude vs. time for each sine wave in a 2D 
graph

2) allow users to quickly and easily (with one or two mouse clicks) hold one 
or both of the time varying properties of any partial constant (frequency or 
amplitude).  this will allow the user to hear how each time varying property 
contributes to the overall sound, which is really the very heart of learning 
additive synthesis, i think

But it's easier said than done to build something like this.  I'm still 
working on it, but it would be great to find a tool which can already do 
this.

There must be people who work professionally with additive synthesis... does 
anyone know what software/hardware and techniques they use?

So, any thoughts or ideas?  My mind's completely open, and I'm of course 
open to constructive criticism... if there's something that i'm missing i'd 
rather know than stumble in the dark.

Thanks, any help or info would be greatly appreciated 

additive-synthesis-what-systems-for-doing-it-are-out-there-2

On Feb 4, 2007, at 4:49 PM, Erik Bowen wrote:

> Well, i'm hoping that some people who know more than i do about 

> read this, and tell me what they think.

> My main interest is in sound design. i want to synthesize sounds 

> ears haven't heard before, and which are pleasing and interesting 

> One possible method to achieve this goal would be to simply start

> experimenting with the various methods of audio synthesis, trying 

> things, observing the results and learning from these observations, 

> Another possible method, which i think is a better way to begin, is 

> and try to understand already existing sounds, using analysis tools 

> SPEAR. In this way, a framework of knowledge about already 

> can be built up, which will help me make more informed decisions 

> to experiment with and how, as described in the previous paragraph, 

> i'm familiar with the various methods of sound synthesis, and with the

> various common waveforms in synthesis and their sinusoidal makeup 

> is odd harmonics of the fundamental with a certain decrease in 

> with increasing frequency, etc etc). i know what goes into and 

> a fourier transform, although i haven't taken the time to learn the 

> behind it (and i probably won't unless i find myself needing this 

> for some some specific reason.) Since additive synthesis is the most

> versatile and powerful method of audio synthesis in that it can 

> any waveform, this is the model that i want to ground my study and

> understanding in. I recognize the other synthesis methods, the common

> waveforms, and the various signal processing tools (audo compressors,

> reverb, etc.) as useful shortcuts and shorthand notations to use when

> thinking and working in terms of the sum of sine waves.

see tapestrea: http://taps.cs.princeton.edu/

> Well, i'm hoping that some people who know more than i do about  
> this will
> read this, and tell me what they think.
>
> My main interest is in sound design.  i want to synthesize sounds  
> that human
> ears haven't heard before, and which are pleasing and interesting  
> to the
> ear.
>
> One possible method to achieve this goal would be to simply start
> experimenting with the various methods of audio synthesis, trying  
> different
> things, observing the results and learning from these observations,  
> and then
> repeating the process ad infinitum.
>
> Another possible method, which i think is a better way to begin, is  
> to study
> and try to understand already existing sounds, using analysis tools  
> like
> SPEAR.  In this way, a framework of knowledge about already  
> existing sounds
> can be built up, which will help me make more informed decisions  
> about what
> to experiment with and how, as described in the previous paragraph,  
> and thus
> produce better results sooner.
>
>
> i'm familiar with the various methods of sound synthesis, and with the
> various common waveforms in synthesis and their sinusoidal makeup  
> (triangle
> is odd harmonics of the fundamental with a certain decrease in  
> amplitude
> with increasing frequency, etc etc).  i know what goes into and  
> comes out of
> a fourier transform, although i haven't taken the time to learn the  
> math
> behind it (and i probably won't unless i find myself needing this  
> knowledge
> for some some specific reason.)  Since additive synthesis is the most
> versatile and powerful method of audio synthesis in that it can  
> synthesize
> any waveform, this is the model that i want to ground my study and
> understanding in.  I recognize the other synthesis methods, the common
> waveforms, and the various signal processing tools (audo compressors,
> reverb, etc.) as useful shortcuts and shorthand notations to use when
> thinking and working in terms of the sum of sine waves.
>
> i know that additive synthesis models tend to be large (many sine  
> waves).
> however, even in sounds that are composed of large numbers of sine  
> waves,
> the behavior of these sine waves may often be governed by simple  
> and easily
> understandable sets of rules.  Does anyone know if there is any  
> literature
> out there about this, to save me trying to reinvent the wheel if  
> someone has
> already done it?
>
> Also, does anyone know what computer programs or hardware systems  
> etc. are
> out there that are geared toward performing additive synthesis?     
> At the
> most basic level, such a program would consist of a large number of  
> sine
> oscillators, with time-varying control over the frequency and  
> amplitude of
> each oscillator.  There are probably many other useful features  
> that could
> be included, which would make implementing the simple rules  
> mentioned in the
> previous paragraph easier.  It would also be good for such a  
> program to
> incorporate fourier analysis and resynthesis, so that it could  
> serve as an
> all in one analyzer and synthesizer, which would make incorporating  
> data
> from an analysis, modifying it, and incorporating part or all of it  
> into a
> new sound a streamlined, fast and easy process.  Such a tool would  
> be great
> for studying sounds, experimenting and learning.  It could even  
> incorporate
> curve fitting (to smooth out data and to help make sense of the  
> data) and
> pattern matching (find component basic waveforms (triangle, square  
> etc), and
> identify instances of known simplifying rules).
>
> As far as I know, SPEAR is the closest thing to this out there,  
> although
> it's still pretty far from it.  Does anyone know if there is  
> something like
> what i described out there?  I've been trying to build a patcher in  
> Max to
> take analysis data (SDIF) from SPEAR and allow the user to view and
> manipulate it in two key ways that aren't allowed in SPEAR:
>
> 1) allow users to view the amplitude vs. time for each sine wave in  
> a 2D
> graph
>
> 2) allow users to quickly and easily (with one or two mouse clicks)  
> hold one
> or both of the time varying properties of any partial constant  
> (frequency or
> amplitude).  this will allow the user to hear how each time varying  
> property
> contributes to the overall sound, which is really the very heart of  
> learning
> additive synthesis, i think
>
> But it's easier said than done to build something like this.  I'm  
> still
> working on it, but it would be great to find a tool which can  
> already do
> this.
>
> There must be people who work professionally with additive  
> synthesis... does
> anyone know what software/hardware and techniques they use?
>
>
> So, any thoughts or ideas?  My mind's completely open, and I'm of  
> course
> open to constructive criticism... if there's something that i'm  
> missing i'd
> rather know than stumble in the dark.
>
>
> Thanks, any help or info would be greatly appreciated
>


Additive synthesis... what systems for doing it are out there?