source file: m1396.txt
Date: Sat, 25 Apr 1998 20:55:31 -0500 (CDT)

Subject: Orch. Instrument Aperiodicity Again

From: mr88cet@texas.net (Gary Morrison)

Paul E. mentioned a means in which FFTs could fool us into thinking that
a partial is not exactly harmonic.

   That reminded me that Dave Hill, who I hear say is on the list now, has
done many voice- and some musical-instrument-sound decompositions using a
different technique - more or less superheterodyning if I remember
correctly (it's been a while).  In any case, it certainly admitted the
possibility of partials being nonharmonic, and followed each partial's
pitch with extreme precision.

   Its accuracy was clearly validated by the fact that the sounds recreated
from the decomposition were almost perfectly indistinguishable from the
originals.  They are certainly vastly superior to any other synthetic
instrument-sound reconstructions I've ever heard.  I think that most would
agree.

   It would be interesting to hear if he saw evidence that orchestral
instruments had nonharmonic partials.  Dave?