[Musikmesse] Flux :: IRCAM-tools

They present a series of products evolved from two fields of technology, Acoustic & Cognitive Spaces, and Sound Analysis & Synthesis. IRCAM Tools are estimated for release Q2-Q3 2010.

Acoustic and Cognitive Spaces
The research and development activity carried out by the Acoustic and Cognitive Spaces Team (formerly Room Acoustics Team) concentrates on the analysis, reproduction and synthesis of spatially considered sound environments. In other words, the localization of sound in space, and the specific acoustical characteristics of a room or of an environment.

The reproduction and synthesis of a sound environment depends on both techniques of signal processing, controlling the manner sound is diffusing from the speakers, and on physical/perceptive models of the spatial properties of the room’s sound sources.

Products:

• SPAT Multi-format Room Acoustic Simulation & Localization Processor.

• VERB Room Acoustic & Reverberation Processor.

Sound Analysis and Synthesis
The analysis of sounds includes methods enabling the permanent extraction or automatic structuring of diverse sorts of information given off by a signal, such as the fundamental frequency or the spectral evolution determining the pitch and timbre of a perceived sound. Information outside what is strictly musical is also taken into consideration, notably concerning industrial acoustics, sound design and multimedia as well as the automatic indexing of recorded sounds. The methods used are based on signal processing, statistical analysis, information theory, machine learning and recognition techniques, but also on knowledge of auditory perception and acoustic system sound production.

Products:

• TRAX Real-time Voice and Sonic Modeling Processor.

• Cross Synthesis Spectral Envelope Morphing Processor.

• Source Filter Enhanced Sound Filtering.

About IRCAM
IRCAM (Institute for Research and Coordination Acoustic/Music) in Paris, France, is a public research institute in the field of musical expression, musical research, sound, and acoustics. Several concepts in electronic music and audio processing have emerged there. Some of the techniques associated with Spectralism, such as analysis based on Fast Fourier Transforms, contain technological contributions from IRCAM.

The work on FM synthesis as well as the real-time audio processing environment Max/MSP, was developed all through research at IRCAM. IRCAM is under the tutelage of Centre Pompidou (French National Museum of Modern Art in Paris) and the French Ministry of Culture.