Evolving Audio Segments for Real-Time Impulse Response Synthesis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for creating artificial reverberation fail to effectively combine the timbre and dynamics of a source audio track with the psychoacoustically meaningful features of a reverberation impulse response, lacking a mechanism for synthesizing and interactively imprinting such responses in real-time for audio production and live performance.
Innovation Solution
A method for synthesizing reverberation impulse responses by combining segments of source audio, applying reverberation characteristics, and controlling the number and timing of selected segments to produce a sequence that reflects the changing timbre and dynamics of the source material, allowing for auto- and cross-reverberation in both offline and real-time scenarios.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional convolution reverberation uses measured impulse responses from real spaces, then realistic acoustic effects are achieved, but the timbre and dynamics of the source audio track are not effectively combined with the reverberation characteristics
Solution Approach 1:
The source audio track is divided into multiple segments, and these segments are selectively combined to create multiple impulse responses. Each impulse response captures different timbral and dynamic characteristics from the source audio, allowing the system to maintain realism while adapting to various audio sources.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple audio segments are merged and processed through reverberation characteristic application to create composite impulse responses. This merging process combines the timbral and dynamic features of the source audio with the psychoacoustically meaningful features of reverberation, resolving the contradiction between realism and adaptability.
2Measurement precision
If impulse response measurements are performed in real spaces, then accurate reverberation characteristics are obtained, but the process cannot be performed in real-time for interactive audio production and live performance
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of measuring impulse responses in real spaces, the system creates synthetic impulse responses by copying and processing audio segments. These synthetic impulse responses replicate the essential reverberation characteristics without requiring physical measurement, enabling real-time application in interactive audio production and live performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transforms audio segments into impulse responses by applying reverberation parameters such as decay time, diffusion, and density. These parameter transformations allow the creation of accurate reverberation characteristics from audio data alone, eliminating the need for time-consuming physical measurements while maintaining accuracy.
3Productivity
If a single fixed impulse response is used for convolution reverberation, then processing is simple and fast, but the system cannot adapt to changing timbre and dynamics of the source audio track
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from a static, fixed impulse response to a dynamic system that generates multiple impulse responses based on the changing characteristics of the source audio track. The number, timing, and selection of audio segments are controlled to produce an evolving sequence of impulse responses that adapt to the timbre and dynamics of the input audio while maintaining efficient processing.
Data Source
AI summary
The present embodiments relate to audio effect processing, and more particularly to a method for creating reverberation impulse responses from prerecorded or live source materials forms the basis of a family of reverberation effects. In one embodiment, segments of audio are selected and processed to form an evolving sequence of reverberation impulse responses that are applied to the original source material—that is, an audio stream reverberating itself. In another embodiment, impulse responses derived from one audio track are applied to another audio track. In a further embodiment, reverberation impulse responses are formed by summing randomly selected segments of the source audio, and imposing reverberation characteristics, including reverberation time, wet equalization, wet-dry mix, and predelay. By controlling the number and timing of the selected source audio segments, the method produces a collection of impulse responses that represent a trajectory through the source material. In so doing, the evolving impulse responses will have the character of room reverberation while also expressing the changing timbre and dynamics of the source audio.