9 CDP Study Worksheets
with Data CD-ROM

prepared by A Endrich

About the Worksheets

These 9 Worksheets have been designed as a practical introduction to the CDP sound processing sofware. The examples are precise, with full instructions: how to access the functions, what parameter values to enter, and a suggested outfile name. I like to use abbreviations for the functions used, so that I can look at a filename and immediately get some idea as to how the sound was made. Others prefer descriptive words.

Most of the examples comprise single functions, covering many different parts of the software. When auditioned one after the other, they help tune the ear to the many possibilities for sonic transformations, while showing how to achieve them. A few of the examples involve sequences of operations, to show a more normal use of the software, namely to chain operations (previous outfile is used as the infile for the next operation). It is in this way that a sound is gradually sculpted towards the end result desired. The CDP software does not disguise complex operations as simple ones, nor use names that hide the nature of the operation. You always know where you are with it and can proceed with precise, surgical manipulation of the sonic material.

The data CD-ROM includes .doc copies of the Worksheets themselves (in Word for Windows .doc format), all the source sounds, and any text or breakpoint files used for a particular example. It also contains all the sounds created in the various examples. When put into the computer, the resident sound player (such as Media Player) will play through all the examples in order. A printed Playlist Sheet lists all the sounds with a brief description of how they were made so that you can follow along as you listen to the sounds. Individual sounds can also be selected for playback or copied to your hard disk for further transformations. The 9 Worksheets are also provided in hard-copy printout so that you can work through the examples with ease.

This package should speed up the learning curve for the software and help users to achieve effective results more quickly.

Topics

• PITCH – transpositions, glissandi, pitch shifting, distortion involving pitch, ring-modulation
• FILTER – high and low-pass, band pass, notch, filter banks with various presets, phasing, iterated and sweeping
• ROUGHEN-LENGTHEN – distortion repetition, step-through looping, scramble, brassage, texture and (PC only) Grainmill
• TUNE – user-defined filterbanks, texture with harmonic grids, spectral tuning
• TIME – these are mainly concerned with freeze, hold and step-freeze techniques, but spectral time-stretching is also included
• TEXTURE – here we have a number of very precise operations to form a basic introduction to the key functions of TEXTURE SIMPLE
• TRANSFERS – this is about envelope replacement in the Time and Spectral Domains, including 'cross-synthesis' (referred to as 'vocoding' in the CDP software)
• TRANSITION – cross-fades in the Time and Spectral Domains provide comparison with morphing
• SPEECH – 47 alterations of a vocal sound; the changes are usually minimal: to illustrate a very controlled use of sound processing, the ear being very sensitive to alterations in vocal tone

Example

Each example is set out with detailed instructions. Sound Loom uses a grid of program names, so these are easily used to access the functions. Soundshaper uses a drop-down menu system, and the appropriate menu sequence is shown under the program name. The Worksheets are written specifically for the Soundshaper GUI, with generic notes about certain procedures that appear differently in Sound Loom.

The following is the 14^th example in the PITCH set.

STRANGE SHIFT - shift the frequencies of the Spectrum in a time-varying way
  (Spectral - Freq/Pitch - Shift freq, which calls up STRANGE SHIFT)

The input is capm.ana
ST14.   Go to the program. To get a time-varying result, click on 'TV', name the file ss.brk and enter:

0.0	0
1.0	1000
3.99	1000
4.0	300
7.2	0

Click on SAVE. Name the output analysis file capmtvssm1.ana. Ensure that 'Shift whole spectrum' is ticked (Mode 1) and Run. Convert to a soundfile capmtvssm1.wav.

The 9 CDP Study Worksheets are an optional purchase. Please see the Price and Ordering pages for further details (under the Information menu).

Last updated: 13 April 2005