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actonern
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Joined: 15 Aug 2007
Posts: 444
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 Posted: Tue Mar 26, 2013 7:57 am Post subject: transients |
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Not the hobo kind!
I've read a number of times in different places on these forums that the start of an instrument's note, referred to as a "transient" is profoundly impactful on how we recognize what instrument is being played.
Some have said that electronically removing this important first bit of sound from the note makes even experienced listeners unsure of what instrument they're hearing... ie. viola, clarinet, trumpet etc.
I've been looking, but so far can't find any web source that would illustrate this... does anyone know of such a site?
Best regards,
E |
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Oded Kishony
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Joined: 26 Jun 2008
Posts: 100
Location: Central Virginia
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| Posted: Tue Mar 26, 2013 1:13 pm Post subject: |
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Hi E,
The demonstration I heard at Oberlin was originally done at a Paris Acoustics Institute. Sorry I don't recall the details of the organization
However, take a look at this web site for some terrific acoustical information and illustrations.
http://www.feilding.net/sfuad/musi3012-01/demos/audio/
If any organization has a demo of transients this is a very likely one.
Best,
Oded |
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actonern
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Joined: 15 Aug 2007
Posts: 444
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| Posted: Tue Mar 26, 2013 4:47 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks Oded!
There is some really good stuff there. I especially found revealing how instruments like the basoon actually have a very weak fundamental... that if the fundamental was as loud as all the upper harmonics of the note the sound would be a lot bassier. And yet listening to it, we seem to "fill in" the actual lack of strengh in the fundamental.
E |
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pmccombs
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Joined: 15 Jan 2013
Posts: 87
Location: Utah
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| Posted: Tue Mar 26, 2013 5:33 pm Post subject: Re: transients |
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| actonern wrote: | Not the hobo kind!
I've read a number of times in different places on these forums that the start of an instrument's note, referred to as a "transient" is profoundly impactful on how we recognize what instrument is being played.
Some have said that electronically removing this important first bit of sound from the note makes even experienced listeners unsure of what instrument they're hearing... ie. viola, clarinet, trumpet etc.
I've been looking, but so far can't find any web source that would illustrate this... does anyone know of such a site?
Best regards,
E |
If you have a Digital Audio Workstation, call up a violin sample and adjust the ADSR envelope so that the attack stage modulates differently. It really does make a difference, demonstrating the importance of relative amplitude to timbre.
If I get some time, I could record an example and post it to youtube if it helps. |
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actonern
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Joined: 15 Aug 2007
Posts: 444
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| Posted: Tue Mar 26, 2013 5:50 pm Post subject: |
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I'd love to hear the effect...
E |
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Oded Kishony
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Joined: 26 Jun 2008
Posts: 100
Location: Central Virginia
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| Posted: Tue Mar 26, 2013 9:29 pm Post subject: Re: transients |
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| pmccombs wrote: | | actonern wrote: | Not the hobo kind!
I've read a number of times in different places on these forums that the start of an instrument's note, referred to as a "transient" is profoundly impactful on how we recognize what instrument is being played.
Some have said that electronically removing this important first bit of sound from the note makes even experienced listeners unsure of what instrument they're hearing... ie. viola, clarinet, trumpet etc.
I've been looking, but so far can't find any web source that would illustrate this... does anyone know of such a site?
Best regards,
Yes!! me too, please. Some of examples of same frequency profile with changed amplitudes.
Oded
E |
If you have a Digital Audio Workstation, call up a violin sample and adjust the ADSR envelope so that the attack stage modulates differently. It really does make a difference, demonstrating the importance of relative amplitude to timbre.
If I get some time, I could record an example and post it to youtube if it helps. |
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pmccombs
Member
Joined: 15 Jan 2013
Posts: 87
Location: Utah
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| Posted: Fri Mar 29, 2013 11:36 am Post subject: Re: transients |
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| actonern wrote: | Not the hobo kind!
Some have said that electronically removing this important first bit of sound from the note makes even experienced listeners unsure of what instrument they're hearing... ie. viola, clarinet, trumpet etc.
E |
Here is a little experiment I conducted this morning: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TqHCVFj8hY
What do you think? How important to timbre is its onset? |
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Oded Kishony
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Joined: 26 Jun 2008
Posts: 100
Location: Central Virginia
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| Posted: Sat Mar 30, 2013 3:35 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks.
I've heard better examples. For instance, it's better to play the snipped version first becaise when you play the full version it's much more of a surprise.
Also the sythsized sound s don't work nearly as well.
But again,
THANK YOU!
Oded |
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pmccombs
Member
Joined: 15 Jan 2013
Posts: 87
Location: Utah
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| Posted: Sat Mar 30, 2013 10:44 pm Post subject: |
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| Oded Kishony wrote: | Thanks.
I've heard better examples. For instance, it's better to play the snipped version first becaise when you play the full version it's much more of a surprise.
Also the sythsized sound s don't work nearly as well.
But again,
THANK YOU!
Oded |
Thanks for the feedback! I'm not an audio professional by any means, but I do like to tinker.
I'm working on my own multisampled synth violin which I hope to make very hi-fidelity. I'm a rather poor violin maker... let's see how well I can program one.  |
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