Singing synthesis with an evolved physical model

A two-dimensional physical model of the human vocal tract is described. Such a system promises increased realism and control in the synthesis. of both speech and singing. However, the parameters describing the shape of the vocal tract while in use are not easily obtained, even using medical imaging techniques, so instead a genetic algorithm (GA) is applied to the model to find an appropriate configuration. Realistic sounds are produced by this method. Analysis of these, and the reliability of the technique (convergence properties) is provided

Acoustic modeling using the digital waveguide mesh

The digital waveguide mesh has been an active area of music acoustics research for over ten years. Although founded in 1-D digital waveguide modeling, the principles on which it is based are not new to researchers grounded in numerical simulation, FDTD methods, electromagnetic simulation, etc. This article has attempted to provide a considerable review of how the DWM has been applied to acoustic modeling and sound synthesis problems, including new 2-D object synthesis and an overview of recent research activities in articulatory vocal tract modeling, RIR synthesis, and reverberation simulation. The extensive, although not by any means exhaustive, list of references indicates that though the DWM may have parallels in other disciplines, it still offers something new in the field of acoustic simulation and sound synth

Comparative study of models of impedance boundary conditions in acoustic problems

En este artículo se presentan distintas soluciones para la implementación numérica de condiciones de contorno de impedancia (reactancia local) en problemas acústicos. Para ello se analizan 2 tipos de ecuaciones: las ecuaciones de Euler y la ecuación de ondas, y se estudian diferentes soluciones para los contornos tanto en algoritmos de diferencias finitas en el dominio del tiempo (FDTD) como en algoritmos pseudo-espectrales en el dominio del tiempo (PSTD). El análisis de las distintas propuestas numéricas existentes en la literatura se realiza mediante exhaustivos experimentos numéricos que permiten estudiar el comportamiento absorbente de las distintas condiciones de contorno en función de la frecuencia y del ángulo de las ondas incidentes. Este novedoso estudio comparativo permite al ingenierio acústico escoger el modelo numérico que más se adapte a sus necesidades.In this paper, different implementations of numerical locally reacting boundary conditions are studied for acoustic problems. In this comparative study we analyze two types of equations, the Euler equations and the wave equation. We also analyze both finite-differences time-domain (FDTD) algorithms, and pseudo-spectral time domain (PSTD) numerical schemes. We compare different numerical implementations existing in the literature by means of exhaustive numerical experiments. These numerical experiments allow for the study of the absorbing properties of the different schemes as a function of the frequency and the angle of the incident sound waves. This novel comparative study will help the acoustic engineer in order to choose the proper numerical scheme for his/her simulations.Peer Reviewe

Contributions to discrete-time methods for room acoustic simulation

The sound field distribution in a room is the consequence of the acoustic properties of radiating sources and the position, geometry and absorbing characteristics of the surrounding boundaries in an enclosure (boundary conditions). Despite there existing a consolidated acoustic wave theory, it is very difficult, nearly impossible, to find an analytical expression of the sound variables distribution in a real room, as a function of time and position. This scenario represents as an inhomogeneous boundary value problem, where the complexity of source properties and boundary conditions make that problem extremely hard to solve. Room acoustic simulation, as treated in this thesis, comprises the algebraical approach to solve the wave equation, and the way to define the boundary conditions and source modeling of the scenario under analysis. Numerical methods provide accurate algorithms for this purpose and among the different possibilities, the use of discrete-time methods arises as a suitable solution for solving those partial differential equations, particularized by some specific constrains. Together with the constant growth of computer power, those methods are increasing their suitability for room acoustic simulation. However, there exists an important lack of accuracy in the definition of some of these conditions so far: current frequency-dependent boundary conditions do not comply with any physical model, and directive sources in discrete-time methods have been hardly treated. This thesis discusses about the current state-of-the-art of the boundary conditions and source modeling in discrete-time methods for room acoustic simulation, and it contributes some algorithms to enhance boundary condition formulation, in a locally reacting impedance sense, and source modelling in terms of directive sources under a defined radiation pattern. These algorithms have been particularized to some discrete-time methods such as the Finite Difference Time Domain and the Digital Waveguide Mesh.Escolano Carrasco, J. (2008). Contributions to discrete-time methods for room acoustic simulation [Tesis doctoral no publicada]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/8309Palanci