CMPT 468 Final Project

Instrument Synthesizer by Aman Singh Dilpreet

Abstract
This project is motivated by a desire to make a instrument which works like MIDI Synthesizer Keyboard. A real time simulation of Keyboard
interface GUI is made using MATLAB GUIDE, which is graphical user interface development environment. This instruments planned to able to
play using this interface are:
Piano
Guitar
Drums
However Piano and Guitar were only instruments in hands available for analysing in real world, so was not able to accomplish Drums at any
level.

Problem Specification
The main problem to be solved was how to simulate a different instruments on the computer using the MATLAB applying techniques studied in
CMPT 468. The techniques used in solving problems includes:
Additive Synthesis
ADSR
FIR "Finite Impulse Response Filter"
Karplus - Strong

Method
Additive Synthesis
Sound synthesis technique that creates timbre by adding sine waves together.

Karplus-Strong
Karplus-Strong loops a short waveform through a filtered delay line to simulate the sound of a hammered or plucked string or some types of
percussion

Combining the above methodologies the synthesizer looks like :

Results
The project was not successful in creating a realistic sounding piano using either Additive Synthesis or Karplus Strong Algorithm .The simulated
piano running under Matlab was compared to Casio CDP220 digital piano. On using the wave table synthesis using recorded sound from Casio
CDP220 digital piano, the resultant sound was realistic and identical. But wave table uses the recorded sounds so it was just like playing them
back.
However using "firls" Finite Impulse response filter using least-squares error minimization, sound of pluck string was produced to somewhat
approximation. Guitar is tuned at standard tunings of "A E D G B E2" and each note can be played defining the fret and the string to play. The
notes of guitar are mapped to relevant keyboard keys.
Image: below is the frequency and magnitude response of a "C4" Piano using Additive synthesis:

Audio : This is the audio sample of C4 using Additive Syntheses

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Image: below is the frequency and magnitude response of a "C4" Piano using Stuck Key.

Audio : This is the audio sample of C4 using Stuck String Karplus Strong:

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Image: below is the frequency and magnitude response of a "C4" Guitar using Karlpus Strong.

Audio : This is the audio sample of C4 using Pluck String Karplus Strong:
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References
1. Karplus-Strong Plucked-String Algorithm
David A. Jaffe and Julius O. Smith
Computer Music Journal, Vol. 7, No. 2 (Summer, 1983), pp.56-69.
http://www.jstor.org/stable/3680063
2. Full-hardware implementation of Karplus-Strong algorithm on electronic PS/2 keyboard
www2.units.it/ipl/students_area/KS_project.pdf
Prepared for Innovate Italy Design Contest 2012
Universit degli Studi di Trieste
3. Matlab Guide
http://www.mathworks.com/discovery/matlab-gui.html
4. Using Discrete Time filter to create Guitar sounds
Reference to how pluck string sound can be produced using FIR filters.
5. CMPT 468/769/889 Notes
Reference to how pluck string sound can be produced using FIR filters.