Product Synopsis

This comprehensive introduction to software synthesis techniques and programming is intended for students, researchers, musicians, sound artists and enthusiasts in the field of music technology. The art of sound synthesis is as important for the electronic musician as the art of orchestration is important for symphonic music composers. Those who wish to create their own virtual orchestra of electronic instruments and produce original sounds will find this book invaluable. It examines a variety of synthesis techniques and illustrates how to turn a personal computer into a powerful and flexible sound synthesizer. The book also discusses a number of ongoing developments that may play an important role in the future of electronic music making. Previously published as "Computer Sound Synthesis for the Electronic Musician", this second edition features a foreword by Jean-Claude Risset and provides new information on: the latest directions in digital sound representation; advances in physical modeling techniques; granular and pulsar synthesis; PSOLA technique; humanoid voice synthesis; artificial intelligence; and, evolutionary computing. The accompanying CD-ROM contains examples, complementary tutorials and a number of synthesis systems for PC and Macintosh platforms, ranging from low level synthesis programming languages to graphic front-ends for instrument and sound design. These include fully working packages, demonstration versions of commercial software and experimental programs from top research centres in Europe, North and South America. This book helps you to: increase your understanding of the major computer synthesis techniques with this accessibly written introduction; discover the latest developments and future direction of the field; and, try out a range of synthesis software for free - available on the accompanying CD-ROM.