source file: m1484.txt Date: Sat, 25 Jul 1998 08:55:08 -0500 Subject: Instrument Spectra From: Gary Morrison I have placed in "http://lonestar.texas.net/~mr88cet/tuningStuff/" GIF files showing the harmonic decomposition of flute, alto saxophone, violin, and trumpet play notes at or near middle C (262Hz). Be sure to start with the flute picture "http://lonestar.texas.net/~mr88cet/tuningStuff/FluteC262.GIF", since I drew in some notes on how to interpret the pictures in that one (only). It seems apparent to me anyway that, in a very high-level sense, none of these show especially much more or less total amount of harmonic content than the others (e.g., the flute being nearly sinusoidal as the common misconception goes). What makes all of the difference between the different instrumental timbres is the detailed differences within those spectra, and of course their attack-transient characteristics. ------------------------------ End of TUNING Digest 1484 *************************