Back at the Helm [Helmholtz]

From TD 633:

The idea of FUSION of partials to create timbre:

> >This was not an "original" idea with Helmholtz, was it?? What is the
> >history of this concept?? Paul?? Anybody??
>
> My understanding was that the idea dated back 200 years but was still
> controversial. I could be totally mistaken.
>
> >In any case, the theory seems new and Helmholtz is looking for examples
> >to back it up. He unfortunately wanders into the realm of taste... or
> >is it tastelessness (??)
>
> >[snip]
>
> >(Some of this makes our short-lived "Mark C." interchanges maybe not
> >quite so weird after all!)
>
> Joseph...you must be joking.

Yes Paul, exaggerating, of course.

But you have to admit that Helmholtz's attempt to tie the Fourier
analysis in with compound sense of taste is a pretty specious
argument!... (Not complaining about Helmholtz, of course, just
observing)

I think this has all led to some very interesting conversation. Dante
Rosati made some interesting observations regarding the perception of
the overtone series in a vibrating string (stopped partial by partial!)
which, of course, goes back a long way.

It is, however Paul, your own FUSION comments that interest me. Was it
Mersenne who first considered the notion of timbre as, basically, a
"piling up" of partials?

And one final question... how is Fourier analysis actually
accomplished?? Can computer programs separate out the partials?? It's
easy to understand how to BUILD UP timbre in a synthesizer patch
editor... keep adding the partials, and it's all there. We can,
nowadays, do that easily right "at home."

But how about in a "natural" sound. How do people find the partials
then?? Can computer programs easily do this now?? How does the EAR do
it??

And, finally, how did Fourier HIMSELF do it??... if he was back at the
beginning of the 19th century. Questions, questions.

Any help on any of this from sysop Paul or any other cats would be
greatly appreciated... It will make my Helmholtz reading more
enjoyable. (Having a little trouble with the footnotes in ancient
Greek!)

___________ _____ ____ _ _
Joseph Pehrson