Using MIR signal processing, I analyze the sonic signatures of two instruments I use in production - the Indian dilruba and Armenian duduk - examining their waveforms, spectrograms, and amplitude envelopes to reveal how physical gestures create acoustic fingerprints. The dilruba's bow catching strings creates sharp transients and sympathetic resonance, while the duduk's breath pressure produces an unusually strong second harmonic. I then compare amplitude envelopes from two New Orleans piano recordings: Jon Batiste's "St. James Infirmary Blues" (sparse phrases shaped by silence) and Professor Longhair's "Big Chief" (constant pulsing groove). This foundational analysis demonstrates how signal processing makes the invisible visible - translating intuitive musical understanding into quantifiable data essential for anyone working at the intersection of audio technology and music.
Phil Conil - Berklee College of Music