analogue and digital FM. differences/ similarities

[oblioblioblio]

neither!

A=440 hz is arbitrary.


(although probably the one with decimal point is more likely to be accurate... it's only recently I believe that we have the technology to do sub frequencies at high accuracy, and only recently that people have been interested to explore it)

[oblioblioblio]

you can look into theory of sidebands to get the exact harmonics you will get from FM. It's quite easy to predict, and if you use related carrier + operator you will get hamonics that are pleasant.

You can also do 'atonal' stuff that is equally pleasing, imo. FM really rocks for percussive type sounds, or "alternatively tonal" ones, as they will always have a certain amount of harmonicness. As frequently you will keep the carrier at a steady type pitch, so the modulator is providiing the fluctuating signal, but steady carrier oscillator is always keeping the overall tone rooted in something. (hard to explain, completely obvious in action)

[steevio]

Yeah, Id had a few beers when I posted that original question and thought I was describing the harmonics math of a sawtooth, then I realised the math is the same for the harmonic series.

My favourite key is 'E' so Ive been geeking out working out related harmonics to 41hz, but then I saw a frequency chart which has that low 'E' note at 41.2531 etc (not exactly that number just saying its decimalised) which is correct?

it depends on which tuning system you use. that would probably be A =440Hz.

if you use A= 432Hz then most notes fall on whole numbers.

and even more spookily, tend towards combinations of the numbers 2, 3 and 4, for instance E = 342 Hz,
theres alot of 'hippy sh!t' ( had to say that as its not cool to be a hippy on this forum it seems) talked about 432 Hz tuning but theres no getting away from the purity of the maths.
start with C = 2 Hz

i used 432 for my tuning for the last few years

thread about it here;
http://www.mnml.nl/phpBB2/viewtopic.php ... 32&start=0

[AK]

Yeah, its for sound design purposes, both inharmonic and harmonic. Im understanding frequencies a lot more now after these recent threads and cant believe I never saw the value before. Im pretty well versed in traditional music theory but have never delved into frequencies of the harmonic series before. Jesus, Ive been making music on and off for years and only now am I realising the potential value of this knowledge.

In regard to you saying, 'neither A/440 is arbitary', Im not sure what you mean. The frequency of that low 'E' note is based on a chart which is in A/440. It says the hz value of the 'E' is 41. Im lost a little

[AK]

Steevio, you posted that while I was typing. I was replying to obli.

I have read about other tunings before, not much but enough to know a little.

I know what you are saying in regard to the hz value of any given note but im assuming 12tet and A/440 for the obvious compatibility in terms of what standard gear is tuned to.

If im using 'E' as my root note in a track, and I want to try and create some sounds based on related harmonics, its safe to assume for simplicity, that I can round off to a whole number, 41hz for this purpose?

[steevio]

Steevio, you posted that while I was typing. I was replying to obli.

I have read about other tunings before, not much but enough to know a little.

I know what you are saying in regard to the hz value of any given note but im assuming 12tet and A/440 for the obvious compatibility in terms of what standard gear is tuned to.

If im using 'E' as my root note in a track, and I want to try and create some sounds based on related harmonics, its safe to assume for simplicity, that I can round off to a whole number, 41hz for this purpose?

yeah just use E=41Hz

it depends wht you mean by 'standard gear'
my Moog is weirdly tuned to 432 Hz out of the box, which means that if you tune it 440, when you switch from keyboard control to free running on VCO 3, it sound out of tune, so its better to have it in 432.

and any gear usually has 'master tune'
if you wanted to try 432, all you need to do is detune all your synths by 31 cents. a 2 minute job.

[AK]

(quote: start with C = 2hz)

Thats impossible though. That would end up at, c7 = 2048hz, in A/440 c7 = 2093hz. Is it the A/432 that produces c = 2hz? If not, it would be impossible to calibrate a whole studio to a tuning system such as that.

[steevio]

(quote: start with C = 2hz)

Thats impossible though. That would end up at, c7 = 2048hz, in A/440 c7 = 2093hz. Is it the A/432 that produces c = 2hz? If not, it would be impossible to calibrate a whole studio to a tuning system such as that.

C = 2 Hz is 432 tuning, thats what i was on about.

but while 2048 may seem on paper alot different to 2093, in reality its just 31 cents flat. (theoretically) which is not alot of difference.

its not impossible bro, my studio is tuned to 432. it took me one minute to do it.
you can tune your studio to whatever you want, 432 is considered one of the oldest and purest of tunings, some of the legendary instruments such as the Stradivarius violin are tuned to 432.
440 is totally arbitary, and only been in existence for about 70 years.