Fixed Average Spectra of Orchestral Instrument Tones
Loading...
Date
2010-01
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Empirical Musicology Review
Abstract
The fixed spectrum for an average orchestral instrument tone is presented
based on spectral data from the Sandell Harmonic Archive (SHARC). This database
contains non-time-variant spectral analyses for 1,338 recorded instrument tones from 23
Western instruments ranging from contrabassoon to piccolo. From these spectral
analyses, a grand average was calculated, providing what might be considered an average
non-time-variant harmonic spectrum. Each of these tones represents the average of all
instruments in the SHARC database capable of producing that pitch. These latter tones
better represent common spectral changes with respect to pitch register, and might be
regarded as an “average instrument.” Although several caveats apply, an average
harmonic tone or instrument may prove useful in analytic and modeling studies. In
addition, for perceptual experiments in which non-time-variant stimuli are needed, an
average harmonic spectrum may prove to be more ecologically appropriate than common
technical waveforms, such as sine tones or pulse trains. Synthesized average tones are
available via the web.
Description
Keywords
timbre, SHARC, controlled stimuli
Citation
Empirical Musicology Review, v5 n1 (January 2010), 10-17