Perceptual evaluation of differences between original and synthesised musical instrument sounds
Regular paper
Eindhoven University of Technology
Wednesday 3 june, 2015, 15:40 - 16:00
0.2 Berlin (90)
Abstract:
To better understand the properties of musical instruments, their recordings
in controlled situations (original sounds) are often compared with
computational models (synthesised sounds) that recreate such situations. When
they are compared, objective descriptors are often used rather than perceptual
audio (psychoacoustic) descriptors. The purpose of this study was to apply
psychoacoustic descriptors to measured and modelled signals of a musical
instrument and to identify whether there were perceptual differences in the
signals. The hummer was chosen, which is a musical instrument that generates
sound when it is rotated at certain speeds, due to airflow exciting the
resonance frequencies of the system. Perceptual differences were found for
loudness fluctuations and roughness. The evaluation criteria are presented as
well as a discussion of the applicability of these methods to the evaluation
of other musical instruments.