Digital Sound Design: W1: The nature of Sound

Question 1

DSD: What are the 6 attributes (paramters) of sound?

Answer 1

Pitch, Loudness (amplitude), Timbre, (percieved) Duration, Articulation (envelope), Diffusion (spatialisation)

Question 2

DSD: What is the articulation of sound?

Answer 2

The beginning of sound, is it a fast attack, or a slow attack.

Question 3

DSD: What is the diffusion of sound?

Answer 3

The spatial location of sound (what direction it comes from)

Question 4

DSD: What is the overtone series of sound?

Answer 4

The Harmonics. The simultaneous sound of a fundamental frequency + divisions of that in various ratios.
E.G frequency of 20 hertz => we also hear 220, 320, …. hertz <=20Khz

Question 5

DSD: If we play a low C note on a cello, what are the overtones?

Answer 5

e.g. C=20hertz: The first overtone is an octave higher (=220 hertz). The second overtone is A higher G note (=320 hertz). And so on, the intervals get smaller.

Question 6

DSD: What do you get when you look at the fundamental and different overtones of a sound?

Answer 6

The timbre.

Question 7

DSD: When do we have auditory roughness?

Answer 7

A high level of auditory roughness is defined as possessing:

• High ratio partials, highly unstable
• Amplitude fluctuations of the spectrum
• Pitch instability
• A high degree of sonic information in-between pitch areas