Practical applications of difference tones in electronic music composition and synthesis
More options
Description
Creators/Contributors
- Author/Creator
- Chechile, Alexander Allen, author.
- Contributor
- Chafe, Chris degree supervisor. Thesis advisor
- Berger, Jonathan, 1954- degree committee member. Thesis advisor
- DeMarinis, Paul, 1949- degree committee member. Thesis advisor
- Popelka, Gerald R., degree committee member. Thesis advisor
- Stanford University. Department of Music.
Contents/Summary
- Summary
- Difference tones are frequency components produced within the ear upon the physical and physiological interactions of spectral components in a given auditory input. Under certain conditions, these additional frequencies are audible and appear to be localized within the head. The phenomenon is the result of nonlinearities in the auditory system. The specific frequencies can be predicted by a classical power series expansion of a sum of sinusoids. With a two-tone signal, the quadratic and cubic terms of the polynomial yield two of the most audible difference tones. Difference tones introduce creative opportunities when applied in musical contexts. However, the effect is highly dependent on parameters of the acoustic primary tones. The conditions for evoking difference tones with a two-tone stimulus are well understood, but a three-tone signal is more complex and not typically employed in music. For the effective implementation of three-tone difference tones in creative work, the parameters for reliable detection must be understood. This dissertation consists of three interconnected branches of research. A psychoacoustic study on the detection of up to nine classes of two and three-tone difference tones reveals the most audible difference tones and the required stimulus conditions. Creation of an open-source toolbox of digital audio instruments for the synthesis of difference tones allows both creative and educational opportunities. With the results of the psychoacoustical study and the implementation of digital instruments, two series of compositions illustrate the physically of sound and spatial depth uniquely available with difference tones
Bibliographic information
- Publication date
- 2020
- Copyright date
- 2020
- Note
- Submitted to the Department of Music
- Note
- Thesis Ph.D. Stanford University 2020
