A steady-sounding note still has amplitude envelope variation within it
Evidence
The timbre of a principal organ stop sounds “steady” during a prolonged note such as that plotted, which lasts for approximately 2 seconds, but it is clear from the acoustic pressure waveform plot in Figure 5.1 that the ampli tude, or “envelope,” varies even during the so-called “steady-state” portion of this note. This is an important aspect of musical notes to be aware of when, for example, synthesizing notes of musical instruments; particularly if using looping techniques on a sampling synthesizer. — David Howard, Jamie Angus, coustics and Psychoacoustics, 1464
The onset, steady-state, and offset phases of the note are indicated above the waveform in the figure, and these are determined mainly with reference to the spectrogram because they relate to the changes in spectral content at the start and end of the note, leaving the steady portion in between. However, “steady state” does not mean that no aspect of the note varies. — David M. Howard, Jamie Angus, Acoustics and Psychoacoustics, 1437
Categorization
- XREF: Connects to the reader’s interest in how life is interpreted through sound: steady-states in perception are always dynamic. — connects to: Even steady-state musical notes vary in amplitude envelope over time.; Even identical notes vary measurably across every repeat performance; Attack and release phases lasting milliseconds largely determine a note’s timbre — David Howard, Jamie Angus, coustics and Psychoacoustics, 1454 (+2 more)
- SHARE: A synthesizer/sampling enthusiast would appreciate this caution about loop points on sustained samples.
- QUESTION: If even a ‘steady’ sustained organ note carries an envelope, when does timbre actually stabilize — and does the ear track that variation?
- SEED: Angle: ‘The myth of the steady note’ — what sustained tones actually do moment to moment, and why listeners hear constancy anyway.
- corroborated: 3 independent passages support this claim — David Howard, Jamie Angus, coustics and Psychoacoustics, 1464; David M. Howard, Jamie Angus, Acoustics and Psychoacoustics, 1437
Broader Connections
- Rapid changes in a sound’s amplitude envelope force broader spectral bandwidth
#expands(0.85) — David M. Howard, Jamie Angus, Acoustics and Psychoacoustics, 489