HOW TO USE JOHN GIBSON'S "addsynenv" DEMO PROGRAM
Don Byrd, 11 Feb. 2006

addsynenv is a Max/MSP runtime program that performs additive synthesis of up to six
partials. Each partial has an arbitrary partial number and starting phase, and an
"ADSR" type envelope with any number of breakpoints. It plays a single note in the
waveform specified by the partials and envelopes, and simultaneously displays either
a "spectrogram" or a "sonogram" (the terminology distinction isn't standard, but you
have to differentiate somehow). Unfortunately, it can't display the waveform or
overall envelope.

- To start the audio driver (so you can hear something!), click the speaker icon.
- To play a note with the current settings, click the "Play a note" button. 
- Duration is in milliseconds; frequency is in Hertz.
- The button above "sono $1" switches between spectrogram and sonogram display.
- Choose presets from the preset grid at the lower right.
- To create a new preset (with settings copied from the current one), shift-click
  on its little square.
- For the envelopes, drag breakpoints around in the obvious way. Click to create a
  new breakpoint; shift-click an existing breakpoint to delete it.
- To change a number, either (1) press the mouse button over it and push up or down
  to adjust its current value, or (2) click on the little triangle to its left,
  type a new value, and hit the enter key.
- There seems to be no way to save either new presets or changes to existing ones.


About the display: with a spectrogram, the x-axis shows frequency, and the label on
it, saying it goes from 0 to 10 kHz, is correct. The y-axis shows amplitude. But
with a sonogram, the label is totally wrong!: it's time that's displayed from left
to right and frequency from bottom to top; amplitude is indicated via color.

The presets might be described, in a (merely suggestive, not to be taken too
seriously) word each, as follows:

1           2           3           4           5           6
Nasal       Organ       Detuned     Brass       Clarinet    Scary

7           8           9           10          11          12
Whole-tone  Bell        -           -           -           -