Computer Music: Musc 216
SYD Tutorial 6
(Version 108b2.1)

Adjusting the FREQUENCY

The frequency of the output of your patch is determined by a parameter in the Oscillator operator.  Using the simple patch you created in the 1st tutorial (Creating a Simple SYD Patch):
 

  • Double click on the Output operator.
  • You should see this window:

    •  
           Change the value in the Frequency field to 220

     
      Note the Amplitude of .5.  The wave form is a Sine wave.
       
       
  • Click OK to accept these values.
  • MAKE SURE YOU HAVE ENTERED .5 (50%) in the AMPLITUDE field.
  • Click the SYNTHESIZE button at the bottom left corner of the patch window.  You will not hear the sound of the patch until you "synthesize" it.
  • Make sure your headphones are connected to the audio output of the computer.
  • When you are ready to proceed, click the PLAY button at the bottom left corner of the patch window.  You should hear the sine wave play in your headphones. Or, click the link below to hear sound.

 
SydSound4.aiff
 

Note that the frequency of 220 Hz is ONE OCTAVE lower than the frequency of 440 Hz.

FURTHER EXPERIMENTS: Try changing the values in the Oscillator parameters window:  Remember, you have to RE-SYNTHESIZE the patch after change in order to hear the result
 
  • Change the frequency to another value.  For example, 110 Hz or 880 Hz.
  • Change the amplitude to another value. For example, .25 (25%); .1 (10%); .75 (75%).  Changing the value to 1.0 will produce the loudest sound with no digital noise (clipping) for the hardware of your computer.  A value greater than 1.0 will produce a "clipped" wave that will no longer be a true sine wave and will sound more like a SQUARE WAVE.

IT IS NOT RECOMMENDED THAT YOU SET THE AMPLITUDE OF THE OUTPUT TO A VALUE GREATER THAN 1.0.   IF YOU DO, MAKE SURE THAT YOU REMOVE YOUR HEADPHONES.

ALSO, IF YOU CHOOSE A WAVEFORM WITH A HIGH INTENSITY (SQUARE, SAW, ETC.) THE PERCEIVED LOUDNESS WILL BE MUCH GREATER THAN A SINE WAVE.   KEEP THE AMPLITUDE LESS THAN .5 (50%). IF YOU INCREASE THE AMPLITUDE > 50% THEN MAKE SURE THAT YOU REMOVE YOUR HEADPHONES.

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