Anthony Palomba

I am beginning work on an electro-acoustic toolkit that is to be used for spectral enhancement of live acoustic performers. The harmonic language will be jazz for now. I am curious to know what fx or synthesis techniques would be must haves for such a toolkit.

So what I am looking to put together is not a collection of FXs, but more of components of a spectral grammar. How am I taking the existing audio signal and enhancing it so that it has some sense of language. I am drawing a lot on Spectromorphology here: onset, continuant, gesture, texture, etc.

Also important consideration would be additional rhythmic elements and perception of space

Of course I can think of commonly used techniques like granular synthesis, but more interesting would be its use in shaping the grammar. I welcome any and all suggestions.

I am beginning work on an electro-acoustic toolkit that is to be used for spectral enhancement of live acoustic performers. The harmonic language will be jazz for now. I am curious to know what fx or synthesis techniques would be must haves for such a toolkit. 

So what I am looking to put together is not a collection of FXs, but more of components of a spectral grammar. How am I taking the existing audio signal and enhancing it so that it has some sense of language. I am drawing a lot on Spectromorphology here: onset, continuant, gesture, texture, etc.
Also important consideration would be additional rhythmic elements and perception of space

live-electro-acoustic-grammar-toolkit

See if you can find yourself a copy of Trevor Wishart's "Audible Design."

Hey Max, thanks for the suggestion. Yes, I am vaguely familiar with Trevor's work. Definitely worth taking a look at.

This is not a sound processing technique, but the gesture maker in Alex Harper's library is worth looking at if you haven't seen it already. It has an inflection layer on top of the main layer.

Dependable pitch tracking and onset detection really open up the type of processes available. A reverse delay that is triggered by strong attacks, for instance, can create strong terminations. If you can accurately detect pitch, you can use AM/RM to create formants. I also like a freqshift tuned to the fundamental or a harmonic in a feedback delay so that you get a "gliss" up the harmonic series. Crossover filters are a good way to target specific frequency regions, since a lot of digital processes can saturate in terms of time / frequency information. Poly~ is a great tool for building effects So that you don't have to worry about transitions between states; e.g. a simple feedback delay in a poly~ with its delay time and feedback controlled by pitch and velocity can do a lot.

For me, I often find that how processes are activated/deactivated is as important as the actual process. YMMV.

This is not a sound processing technique, but the gesture maker in Alex Harper's library is worth looking at if you haven't seen it already.  It has an inflection layer on top of the main layer.

Dependable pitch tracking and onset detection really open up the type of processes available.  A reverse delay that is triggered by strong attacks, for instance, can create strong terminations.  If you can accurately detect pitch, you can use AM/RM to create formants.  I also like a freqshift tuned to the fundamental or a harmonic in a feedback delay so that you get a "gliss" up the harmonic series.  Crossover filters are a good way to target specific frequency regions, since a lot of digital processes can saturate in terms of time / frequency information.  Poly~ is a great tool for building effects So that you don't have to worry about transitions between states; e.g. a simple feedback delay in a poly~ with its delay time and feedback controlled by pitch and velocity can do a lot.  

For me, I often find that how processes are activated/deactivated is as important as the actual process.  YMMV.


Poly~ is a great tool for building effects So that you don’t have to worry about transitions between states; e.g. a simple feedback delay in a poly~ with its delay time and feedback controlled by pitch and velocity can do a lot.

Peter, what do you mean " not having to worry about transition between states" ? I don't get the relation with poly~.

 Poly~ is a great tool for building effects So that you don’t have to worry about transitions between states; e.g. a simple feedback delay in a poly~ with its delay time and feedback controlled by pitch and velocity can do a lot.


Peter, what do you mean " not having to worry about transition between states" ? I don't get the relation with poly~.


I think Peter means Alex Harker's library?

Thanks Peter for your suggestions. I do indeed have Alex Harker's library but had not really looked at his gesture system. I will definitely check it out.

Live electro-acoustic grammar toolkit...